One Door Closes
by Dracoisalooker76
Summary: Lily had plans for her life that didn't involve James Potter, the Marauders, or falling in love. But sometimes plans change when you least expect them to and you must live with them, for better or worst. J/L SB/OC. PART 1 IS CANON, PART 2 IS AU.
1. Part I: Plans

Hi everyone! This story is somewhat of a companion of my oneshot _Thwarted Plans_. While you don't need to read it to understand the story, it could help those who like a little insider information about what stories are about, and it might give you an idea why I'm writing this.

Also, this story will start out canon and then veer off into the land of Alternate Universe. There will be two parts, which can basically be described as Lily's final year at Hogwarts (Part I) and then her after-Hogwarts years (Part II). Part II will be the part where it turns into non-canon activities. This story follows Lily's plans for her life as they twist and turn, and then what would happen it they had turned out how she wanted them to turn out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

One Door Closes

"What would have happened if things had gone differently? But, she reminded herself as the stairs creaked under Voldemort's feet, it didn't matter. She would never know." – Thwarted Plans

Part I: Plans

Lily Evans opened her emerald eyes and looked around her bedroom. The curtains were pulled, letting in the bright morning light of Northern England as well as the unfortunate view of the rundown, industrial area in which her home stood. Her parents had offered her everything they could give, both her and her sister, but it was also because of this that Lily had made her plans.

Sure, she was a little young to be making plans for the rest of her life, but it gave Lily a sense of order and helped her realize what she needed to do. The first time she had thought about these plans was when she was seven years old, now at seventeen the plans had changed slightly but not much.

For one, she was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Of course her parents were thrilled, amazed that witches and wizards truly existed, but Lily had known prior to the arrival of her owl. Her friend, Severus, had told her years before the fateful letter was given to her by Albus Dumbledore himself. And, though filled with happiness, the day was also the day she lost her sister forever.

Lily's plans had since discarded muggle school and Petunia all together. Her sister had told her numerous times that she wanted nothing to do with the freak Lily had become, and almost didn't invite her to wedding. When she did invite her, however, her and her abominable fiancé, Vernon Dursley, picked a day that they knew Lily wouldn't be able to attend – the day of examinations for Transfiguration and Charms in her sixth year. While Lily, who had grown distant to his sister, didn't mind not attending the union of two people who hated her more than anyone in the world, she didn't speak this to her mother and father. The two were still holding on to the hope that their daughters would one day rekindle the relationship they lost.

Yes, Lily's plans were set in stone and she hated changing them around. She had already decided on a career path, a life after Hogwarts, and much more, all the way to the day she died. Her friends thought of this as morbid, but Lily thought nothing of the sort. She wanted what she wanted of her life, and nothing was going to change that. Everything was all set out in her head: Hogwarts, become an auror, and settle down when she was in her thirties – which was a bit old for the wizarding communities.

She stretched, yawning while focusing her eyes on the clock on her wall. It read seven fourteen in the morning, giving her just enough time to get dressed before heading out the door on the trip to the Hogwarts Express. She stood, grabbing her uniform off the chair – as she hated changing on the train – and slipped it on after taking off her nightgown. Her trunk was already packed with the necessary books and materials as it sat patiently by the door of her room.

As she walked, she stopped by her desk, taking a small glance to the letter on the wood. She had received it a few weeks prior, but she could still remember every word. It was from one of her friends, Ivy Burns. Taking the letter in her hands, she let her eyes scan the neatly scribbled print without really reading it. She knew what it said; in fact, she could probably recite it from memory.

"Dear, Lily," she muttered quietly, dropping the letter on her empty desk and grabbing the handle to her trunk. "You will never believe what happened. My very own prince charming moved in across the street from my parents three months before I returned. He's absolutely perfect, even if he can't do magic like the rest of my family…"

She wrote five pages about his cerulean eyes, his calm demeanor, and his acceptance of her magical abilities. To Lily, it seemed like a foolish love story that was caught unexpectedly between reality and fantasy. Unlike her friends, Lily didn't believe in soul mates nor did she believe in true love as it was displayed in books and fairytales. Her father, whose marriage to her mother was his second, was her perfect proof that there was not one person that could steal your heart and never return it.

Using her wand to levitate her trunk, she walked down the staircase to see her parents standing by the doorway. Her father smiled gently in her direction. "We didn't think you were ever going to come down," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes, Lily! You don't even have time for breakfast!" her mother fussed, opening the door of their home.

Mr. Evans grabbed her trunk in his arms and chuckled as they followed his wife. "She's always a wreck when you leave."

Lily merely nodded to her father, aware that if she said anything her mother would know they had been talking about her. She sat down in the seat of the car, watching the English countryside out her window as they headed to London. The lush green acres helped Lily escape from her thoughts.

One thing that Lily liked about the Wizarding world was the transportation. She hated long car rides and usually curled up with a book in the backseat to kill time. Now that she was seventeen she could take apparating lessons and would never take a long car ride anywhere. As the green pastures became boring, Lily pulled out her copy of Hogwarts: A History and began reading it for the twelfth time. It wasn't that it was a terrible book, as some students would say – it was slightly bland – but for her it gave her a wonderful insight into the world she hadn't grown up in, but would grow old in.

The car came to a screeching halt about one hundred pages into Lily's reading and she looked up to see King's Cross Station. A smile played across her features as he father walked around the car, banging lightly on the glass of her window with his knuckles.

Stepping out of the car and pulling her trunk through King's Cross, Lily realized that it would be the last time she would return to Hogwarts. It was her last year and unless she went home for Christmas holidays, this would be the final time for Lily to push through the crowds. When she and her parents arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, she stared at the golden glow of the bricks before rushing through and experiencing the familiar falling feeling before landing on the platform.

"Well, Lils, it's time for you to get on the train," her father spoke, taking her into his arms. "Be safe," he whispered in her ear, his arms engulfing her.

Pulling away she looked up at him. "I'll be safe," she promised before turning to her mother. She was grabbed for the second time, but this time by a set of daintier arms similar to her own.

"Yes, Lily, be careful!" her mother reprimanded in a quiet tone. "And write every day!"

Lily nodded and walked away, pulling her trunk and glancing back toward her parents until they blended into the crowd and disappeared completely. She placed her trunk in her regular compartment, surprised that none of her friends had arrived. She opened the lid and lifted up her Hogwarts robe and a small envelope. Easing the envelope open, she slid out the contents. In her hand she held the most important badge any female Hogwarts student could hold.

It was gold with the Hogwarts crest and read the familiar words: Head Girl. She fastened the badge to her cloak, on the opposite side the Gryffindor crest that signified her house. She liked how the badge could signal that she had the most authority of any student – with the only exception being the Head Boy – and walked out of the compartment toward the Prefect Compartment. She had to start the meeting as soon as all the prefects had arrived.

As the prefects generally came to the compartment after they had seen their friends, Lily thought she would be the first person in the room. She held her book under her arm and slid open the door, shocked when she saw someone else inside. Hiding behind a massive book of advanced transfiguration, appeared to be one of the prefects or the Head Boy. She looked closer, but all she could see was the Gryffindor house crest on one side of the chest and the Head Boy badge on the other. With a content sigh, Lily smiled to herself, knowing who the boy was and pleased with Dumbledore's choice of her partner.

"Hello, Remus!" she greeted, shutting the door behind her. "I thought you might have been chosen. I'm so glad!"

The book began to fall and Lily expected to see the tawny haired boy she called a friend. Since fifth year he had been her fellow prefect and the two had formed a bond of friendship. He was a studious and intelligent boy who, like her, would have fit into the Ravenclaw house quite nicely. Remus Lupin was the only seventh year Gryffindor boy that Lily could actually stand being around. In her opinion, the others were immature, childish, selfish and arrogant.

But, as the book fell into the lap of the Head Boy, Lily's eyes widened. Remus was not sitting in the seat. Instead, spectacled hazel eyes looked up at her with forced indifference and a shy smirk spread across the boy's features. A hand ran nervously through his unruly black hair and he nearly frowned.

"Oh, Evans, what a pleasure to see you," he said quietly, pushing the book off his lap. "I was wondering if you were Head Girl."

Lily couldn't find words to express what she was feeling. Was it betrayal, shock, amazement, hurt? Whatever the emotion that pierced her heart like a dagger was uncomfortable. Her mouth gaped open and closed like that of a guppy.

And finally her emotions settled on anger. Her emerald eyes became snake eyes, staring at the boy through tiny slits. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.

A faint smile appeared on his lips as he pointed to his badge. "I guess Dumbledore's off his rocker?" he said, sounding as if he was guessing the answer to her question.

Lily opened her mouth to rant, but the prefects had already begun to enter. What was Dumbledore thinking, she asked herself. He wasn't even prefect! Head Boys had to be prefects first! It was the rules!

When the final prefect arrived – which happened to be Remus looking just as shocked as she had when she saw who the Head Boy was – the boy stood and cleared his throat. "Um…hello," he said quietly. "As you can see, this is Lily Evans and I'm James Potter and we're going to be your Head Girl and Boy this year."

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So, what do you think? Remember to review!


	2. Part I: Friends

Okay, thanks to the two people (out of the 46 that checked this out) who reviewed. Thanks to _jonaslovers1421 _and _R.I.P. to all that died_.

Here's the next chapter.

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Part I: Friends

Lily opened the door to her compartment and was immediately engulfed by the arms the belonged to a flash of blonde hair. Over the girl's shoulder she could see her two other best friends sitting patiently in their seats as the train rushed on toward Hogwarts.

"Oh, Lily! We knew you made Head Girl!" exclaimed the girl who had given her the fierce hug. Lily smiled at the girl. She was beautiful with pin straight blonde hair that fell to her shoulders, deep brown eyes, and a smile that had the ability to brighten an entire room. Her lovable personality was one of the many reasons why Michelle D'Aubigne was Lily's best friend out of the foursome they had made in first year.

"Yes, Lily, congratulations," Cecily Van Buren spoke, her calm voice masking the pride that was apparent in her cerulean eyes. With a flawless complexion and glossy, midnight black hair paired with her pureblood lineage and wealth, many students believed Cecily to be conceited and snobby, but Lily knew the girl had a heart of gold and loyalty to her friends that would rival any of her fellow Gryffindors.

Sitting beside Cecily was Ivy Burns, the fourth member of Lily's group of friends. She sat in her seat with a dreamy expression on her face, not noticing Lily's arrival. Ivy was the dreamer of the group with her mind always in the clouds. She had bushy brown hair and gray eyes and a constant smile on her features. Cecily elbowed the girl in the side and she looked up, shaking the faraway look from her eyes before glancing to Lily, who had since been let go of and was sitting down across from the two girls and beside Michelle.

"Lils, it was no surprise when we found your stuff in here with no you. We knew where you were," she said happily. "We were just talking about our summers."

"Yeah, anything interesting happen to Miss Evans?" Michelle asked curiously.

Lily had yet to smile since seeing James Potter in the prefect compartment and she couldn't get her mind off the fact he was Head Boy. When she didn't answer, Cecily frowned. "Uh oh, something bad happened. What'd Petunia do this time?"

Letting out a sigh, Lily looked to her three friends before huffing once and replying, "James Potter's Head Boy!"

All three sets of eyes widened at Lily's outburst and then there was nothing but chaos. Lily could barely hear what any of them were saying except small snippets of each rambling rant. Each girl was angrier than the next and questioning how the boy got the position.

"You must be kidding. Remus was a sure fire pick for Head Boy!" came Ivy's comment.

"How could Dumbledore be so oblivious? He picked the ringleader of the Marauders!" Michelle complained, loud enough for the entire train to hear.

"I bet his parents paid Professor Dumbledore to do it. They had to save their name from the complete destruction Potter was putting it through." Of course, Cecily's voice remained calm despite her anger, and it almost made Lily laugh.

Michelle turned, hugging her friend tightly before pulling away and looking at her with sympathetic eyes. "Lily, I am so sorry! I can't believe Dumbledore would do that to you!"

"Maybe it's a trick," Ivy suggested. "Do you think they convinced Remus to give him his badge for a few minutes so he could get to you?"

Lily shook her head. "Nice idea, Ivy, but Remus looked just as surprised to see him as I was."

The compartment was silent for a few moments, each girl thinking pensively for a reason why Dumbledore would pick James Potter to be Head Boy. None of the four could reach a decision and Lily stared blankly into her lap.

It was no secret that she and James Potter didn't get along. At first it was mutual hatred – mainly because Lily was friends with Severus Snape and James thought he was a "greasy git" that needed to tortured – but sometime around fourth year, James had taken interest in Lily and had asked her out on a date – every day since then. Even over the summer he sent his owl to her home asking the same question. And every time he asked, Lily responded with a firm decline, and usually a nasty word or two, and told him she would rather die. It didn't stop his asking though, and it had begun to get annoying, not only to herself but to her friends as well. James was, to this day, the only part of Gryffindor daily life that she refused to tell her parents about. She was afraid her father wouldn't allow her to return to school with James constantly on her.

In fact, Lily was surprised that James hadn't asked her out in the compartment. When they were alone, or when they were in front of the prefects it wouldn't have mattered to James, would have been the perfect time for him to begin his ritual. Yet, he almost seemed nervous around her, shy and scared. It almost intrigued her.

And if it had been anyone else beside James Potter, it would have.

"Anyway, Lily, let's try to get your mind off Potter," Ivy said, sneering out the final word. "You remember the muggle boy I wrote you a letter about?"

Lily nodded halfheartedly, knowing where the conversation as heading. She was going to hear the letter in full context for the remainder of the train ride. Ivy could become obsessive very quickly and Lily was sure this boy was the only thing she could think about for more than a few minutes. True love, Lily thought to herself, it's more like infatuation.

"Well," she continued. "Chris is just absolutely lovely–"

"Ivy, please," Cecily moaned, hitting her head on the compartment wall. "I read a letter and listened to you while Lily was with the prefects. I do not want to listen to anything else about Christopher what's-his-face–"

"Aarons," Ivy supplied.

Cecily sarcastically smiled at her friend. "Aarons." Then she looked to Lily. "Anyway, you'll never guess who I met over summer holidays."

Lily shrugged. In the past Cecily had met many famous wizards through her parents and she didn't have clue who she could add.

A smile spread across the girl's face. "Andrei Bachev."

Lily's eyes widened and she heard Michelle gasp beside her. Andrei Bachev was the boy Cecily was arranged to marry. As she came from a wealthy pureblooded family, Cecily had been betrothed to marry the boy since she was a small child. Lily and Ivy, who were both muggleborn, had been shocked to hear that this continued in the Wizarding world.

Of course, it was dying out in magical families. Most pureblooded families had begun the process of abandoning the practice or had long since. Only certain families that still held onto certain ideals continued it. Many Slytherin families continued the tradition, and so did the Van Burens who, while Gryffindors through and through, didn't mess with tradition.

Other pureblooded families had since stopped the arranged marriage mess, as Cecily called it. Michelle's family gave her the right to choose her husband – as long any children she were taught to speak French to honor their heritage. And, unfortunately for Lily, it seemed the Potters had granted James the same right.

"What's he like?" Michelle asked curiously. Ever since Cecily had told them about Andrei, all of them – including Cecily herself – wanted to know everything about him. But, Cecily's parents had been adamant not to tell her anything.

"Andrei is in his seventh year at Durmstrang," Cecily continued. "And he is so much better looking than that Krum character my sister was married off to last year."

Lily rolled her eyes at her friends comment and Cecily smirked. "And he's the perfect gentleman. My parents made a great choice."

"But don't you want to fall in love?" Michelle asked. "I mean, don't you want it to be your choice?"

Cecily shook her head. "I've known this is how it was going to end for a long time and I've come to terms with it. And besides, who says I can't fall in love with him?"

Michelle leaned against the back of her seat. "It just seems a little unromantic to fall in love _after_ your wedding."

"And a little unconventional," Ivy added.

Cecily's eyes widened in disbelief of her two friends. "You have got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed in an even tone. "You two of all people should know how my family views marriage. Plus, this is just as rich coming from Miss I'm-falling-all-over-a-muggle and Miss I'm-infatuated-with-a-womanizer."

Lily's mouth dropped to the floor and she temporarily stopped breathing. It wasn't very often that her friends argued over non-trivial issues. And, she had to admit that while questioning the values of Cecily's family was terrible, her retaliatory punch was a bit under the belt. Her comment about falling over muggles could nearly be counted as pureblooded chauvinism, but Lily, and Ivy, quickly forgot when they looked to Michelle in curiosity.

"I am not infatuated with a womanizer," she hissed quietly.

The door slid open, but neither girl noticed. Instead Cecily smirked at her blonde friend, slyness filling her eyes. "Oh really, so that letter–"

"It had nothing to do with _him_," she muttered quietly. She glanced over at Lily quickly, but Lily couldn't figure out if it was apologetic because she hadn't written her the letter or because of something else. Quickly in her head, Lily began to run through all "womanizers" of the school and thought of one in particular. One which Michelle had a monstrous crush on in first year.

There was a small knock on the compartment door and the four girls looked up. James stood in the doorway, biting his lower lip and glancing from girl to girl. "Uh, Evans," he started, sounding as if he was unsure of what to say. "Remus said that the Head Boy and Girl usually go in the carriages together, you know, to present a united front. But…um, you look like you're in the middle of a conversation. I'll just meet you up there." And then he darted out.

Lily stared at the vacant doorway before turning to her friends. All three looked slightly confused – and Michelle's eyes betrayed her other emotion of nervousness, which Lily would have to find out about. It was finally Ivy that broke the silence of the compartment.

"What was that?" she asked, baffled by James's uncharacteristically small speech.

It remained silent for a moment before Cecily stood. "Well, as odd as that was, we need to get off this train before all the carriages leave with us still here."

Ivy and Michelle stood to follow her but Lily continued to stare at the doorway. This behavior was peculiar for the boy, and frankly it made Lily a little scared. Perhaps the Marauders are planning something, she thought. Once noticing her friends had walked out without her, Lily rushed to join them with one thought plaguing her mind until she reached the carriage her friends were stepping in. What was up with James Potter?

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Okay, so a little constructive criticism would be good here. Good or bad, review!


	3. Part I: Marauders

**Sorry it took so long to get this up. I had a killer week, but this week is VACATION! I'm going to try to get this story really going strong this week, so post a reply at the end to tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from all of you! Especially to those four who have reviewed! **

**Here's the next part!**

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Part I: Marauders

Taking the cup in her hand, Lily sipped on her pumpkin juice while her mind wandered farther down the table. She knew that she should be happy, excited even, that James had stopped pestering her to go on a date with him. But, as odd as it sounded, the shy alternative that had replaced him was bothering her just as much.

She felt herself staring at the group of boys down the table. Spotting James quickly, she watched as he pushed his food around his plate. He was smiling at his friends but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. In bespectacled hazel orbs was an emotion that Lily had never seen before in his eyes, pain. Why James Potter would be feeling pain was completely beyond her. In fact, the only time she had seen the emotion in anyone's eyes was when her sister had been told she wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts with Lily, back before their relationship had fallen apart.

Lily let her eyes wander to the other Marauders, as they called themselves. Sitting beside James was his right hand, his second in command, Sirius Black. Sirius was without a doubt one of the best looking boys in the school. Of course all the Marauders had good looks, or at least three out of the four, but Sirius easily surpassed all three of his friends. He wasn't called the "Gryffindor God" for nothing. His cool blue, nearly gray eyes could make a girl weak in the knees. With black shaggy hair and a perfectly chiseled face, he was handsome – not boyishly cute like the majority of the male students. Every girl fell in love with him at one point in their schooling career, and Lily was no exception. She herself, while she hated admitting it, had a crush on him in their first year.

That is, until he became attached to James's hip and the two started tormenting her friend Severus. All attraction ended there.

She continued spying on the four boys. Sirius was grinning proudly, probably having told a joke he believed to be rather funny. But his smile wasn't as wide as it usually was and he was quietly subdued for Sirius Black, who normally caused some sort of ruckus at this point in the feast – like turning his Slytherin cousin Narcissa's hair red and gold like he had their second year.

Sitting across the table from Sirius was the mousy, blond boy known as Peter Pettigrew. He was in many ways the exact opposite of his dark haired friend. He had blond hair that fell flat to his head and watery blue eyes that were nothing special. He followed his three friends around, laughing at their jokes and playing along, but Lily could see there was something different about him compared to the other three. There seemed to be a greater connection between James, Sirius, and Remus, and Peter was on the outside of the circle longingly looking in for acceptance.

She often found herself feeling bad for Peter. The boy became friends with the only boys in his dorm for survival's sake and it couldn't change the fact that he didn't quite fit into the house he was placed in. She would sometimes think that he should have been in Hufflepuff, where the students were just as loyal but there was less of a _you fit in or you don't _atmosphere.

Letting her eyes wander, she stopped on her only friend in the group. Remus Lupin was an incredibly kind boy who evened out the antics that Sirius and James got up to. While he was still a Marauder and broke his fair share of rules, the tawny haired, amber eyed boy made an excellent prefect. He had a level head on his shoulders, even when he was friends with the two most arrogant and impulsive boys in the school.

"He would have made a great Head Boy," Lily muttered quietly under her breath. Ivy looked up in question and Michelle quickly waved her off.

"She's still lamenting the fact that Potter's Head Boy," she stated, pulling apart a roll and turning to glare down the table at the group. At that precise moment, Sirius turned to look at the girls and wiggled his eyebrows. Michelle hid her head in her hands and groaned, as he stood and headed in their direction.

"Why must he always make the first feast a living hell?" she mumbled.

Sirius stood behind Ivy and Cecily, placing his hands on their shoulders and smiling at Michelle and Lily who were sitting across from their two friends. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite ladies! How'd summer holidays go?"

Lily glared at him. "Go away, Black."

He took his hand from Ivy's shoulder and placed it over his heart, feigning hurt. "Wow, Lils, that stung," he mocked, changing his eyes line of vision to Michelle. He cast a furtive glance to her before turning back to Lily. "Don't tell Jamsie-boy I told you this, but I think now would be as great a time as ever to accept any offer of his."

Michelle sent Sirius a glare that rivaled Lily's. "Bug off, Black. Lily wants nothing to do with you or your disgusting friends."

"And don't call me Lils," Lily added in a harsh tone.

Sirius's face softened and he sighed quietly. "Look," he said, the playful smirk washed from his face and his eyes full of honesty. "Just…try to be nice to him in the common room or what not. He's going through a rough time."

Cecily shrugged Sirius's hand off her shoulder and turned around. "And why should she? He's made her life miserable for the past few years. It's time he got some pay back," she told him, calmly expressing her anger.

But Lily looked to Sirius's face and nodded. "Sure, Black, but the first time he opens that arrogant mouth of his my 'playing nice' ends," she forced out.

Sirius smiled sincerely and nodded to the girls before walking down the table to his friends. A few fourth year girls tried to stop him, but he just gave them his signature smirk before sitting in his seat and stuffing a roll in his mouth. Lily felt eyes on her, making her turn away from Sirius and the Marauders and to her friends. All three girls stared at her with looks of disbelief filling their eyes.

"Lily?" Ivy questioned softly. "You're going to be…nice to that prick?"

She didn't quite know how to explain it to her friends. At times it seemed that they were more against James than she was. Ever since first year it had been the Gryffindor girls against the boys, at least in their year. Sometimes it was even fun for Lily to watch. Michelle and Sirius would argue for ages as to why (in Sirius's case) and why not (in Michelle's) Lily should give James a chance. The fights usually ended in disaster of the Gryffindor common room.

Lily shrugged. "Sirius seemed sincere," she stated, albeit unconvincingly.

"Oh, Black being sincere had nothing to do with it," Michelle hissed. "He was being the same prick he always is."

Cecily raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Really?" she asked slyly. "He seemed to be behaving okay to me for a change. Was it his reactions to the little fourth years swooning over him?"

Lily glanced at her best friend, who turned a bright shade of red and glanced down to her plate, with curiosity. Ivy's eyes widened. "You don't still like Sirius, do you?" she asked in excitement. "I thought you got over that first year!"

She looked up at Cecily and Ivy with murder in her eyes. "I do not like Sirius Black!" she yelled, glaring at the two. Ivy's eyes widened at the outburst, but Cecily smirked knowingly. Lily turned down the table, where all the Gryffindors had turned their heads to the yell. She thought she saw a faint smile appear on Sirius's face.

Noticing many of the students' eyes were on her, Michelle looked into her plate and frowned. Her cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment and Lily sighed. It wasn't that any of her friends didn't see it coming; they just didn't want to see their friend hurt. Sirius wasn't known for being overly kind to girls, he _was_ a bit of a player, and it wouldn't help if Sirius didn't like her at all. They didn't want their friend to end up with a broken heart.

The feast ended with the headmaster giving a few departing words, while shooting a friendly yet stern look at the Marauders when he stated the newest addition to the banned items list. He dismissed the students to their dorms and the students filed out of the Great Hall. Remus smiled to Lily as she and her friends passed where he was attempting to get the first years in an orderly line.

"Oh, come on, Moony!" Sirius barked, walking up behind the girls. "Just do this," he turned to the first years and cupped his hands around his mouth, "alright, midgets! Single file to the best tower in the whole castle!"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Wow, Padfoot," he said under his breath, loud enough for only Lily to hear. She giggled slightly and continued out the doors with her friends. The stairways were packed with students and it took three times as long as it normally did to reach the Gryffindor portrait, The Fat Lady.

There seemed to be a hold up, word had it a second year forgot the password, and the four seventh years pushed their way to the front. When people muttered about why they were pushing through, Cecily glared and responded rather coolly with, "I don't see any of you knowing the password."

When they reached The Fat Lady it turned out to be a second year mumbling nonsense words trying to get the portrait to open. Upon seeing the Head Girl and her three friends, the Fat Lady sighed happily. "Oh, Lily! Finally!"

Lily smiled sweetly at the portrait of a large woman in a pink dress. When asked what the password was, Lily obediently replied, "Caput Draconis."

The portrait swung open, and the rush of Gryffindors filed into the common room. The four girls went to their dorms and talked about what they would do that year. These plans included studying for the NEWTS at the end of the year, passing their classes, and having fun. And the conversation steered clear of the Marauders.

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**Okay, so now that you've read it, _please_ leave a review!**


	4. Part I: Breakfast

**Thanks for the reviews! This is up so quickly because I got three awesome and sweet reviews!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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Part I: Breakfast

The white sunlight peeked through the windows, waking Lily from her slumber. She looked at her clock and noticing her alarm would shrill in a few moments, she rose from her bed and grabbed her uniform. It had been three months since she had worn her Hogwarts uniform and looking at herself in the mirror, she realized she had truly missed Hogwarts. She had missed her friends terribly and over the summer she had to deal with her mother's complaints as to why she and Petunia couldn't get along.

She smoothed her skirt out as the noises of her friends getting out of bed echoed into the girls' bathroom. Nothing had changed. She still had the same straight red hair that fell to her shoulders and her eyes were just as green as they always were – an emerald shade James Potter had written a horrible poem about in their sixth year.

While she herself didn't see herself as overly pretty, her friends always argued with her. Cecily had even said during their fourth year that the sorting hat had done its part and sorted the best looking students – minus Peter, but she hadn't said that – into Gryffindor. But Lily always questioned this, as she wasn't blond like Petunia or Michelle, nor did she have glossy black locks like Cecily or brown tresses like Ivy. She had inherited her father's vibrant red hair that often reminded her of traffic lights in muggle London.

"Lily! Are you almost done in there?"

She unlocked the door to find her three friends waiting for entrance and allowed them inside before telling them she would meet them in the Great Hall. Lily quite liked walking around the castle by herself in the early mornings. She found it peaceful and readied her for the day of classes to come.

As it was the beginning of breakfast, many students hadn't arrived. On the first day of classes, it wasn't unusual for students to be rushing in after not waking up on time. In fact, Lily remembered last year the Marauders hadn't woken up at all and McGonagall had to go in the boys' dorm herself. Looking for a familiar face at the Gryffindor table, she noticed that it was the least occupied of the four tables. The first and second years and a few third years were the only people at the table, except one face.

James sat at the middle of the table, stirring a bowl of oatmeal with his spoon but not bringing any to his mouth. His cup was still full of pumpkin juice and appeared to be untouched. Seeing as she didn't want to sit with the younger students, nor did she want to sit by herself, she found herself walking toward the Head Boy. She had told Sirius she would be nice to him, and she figured sitting with him when his friends were still sleeping would be nice.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked.

James looked up at her with shock spread across his features, but nodded nevertheless. Lily sat beside him and watched him stare at her, not with the normal longing expression, but instead with confusion. She let a small smile unfold on her lips. "You know, being the Heads, we shouldn't fight this year."

He nodded and looked away from her. Had anyone asked her the previous year if she would rather have a shy James Potter than a boisterous one, she would never imagine that she would rather have the latter. She didn't understand it, but she almost missed the attention he gave her and didn't like that he wouldn't talk to her.

"So, how were your summer holidays?" she asked, hoping they would start conversation.

His spoon dropped from his hand into the bowl, making oatmeal splash across the table. He quickly picked the utensil up, avoiding her eyes and unconvincingly muttered something about it being fine. Then, obviously trying to get off the subject, he quietly asked her about hers.

"Oh, well, it was fine, I suppose. My sister and her husband hate me though, and made it quite obvious."

James looked up at her, his eyes wetted. Lily's eyes widened, wondering what could have happened to him. Sirius words flooded through her head. _He's going through a rough time._ She wondered what could have possibly happened over the summer that would make the quidditch loving prankster upset at a mere question.

"They hate you?" he asked in disbelief. "How could they hate _you_?"

"Well, you see," she started, still a bit concerned about James. "They hate magic and believe that, since I'm a witch, I'm a freak."

"That's totally absurd," he hissed. "You're most definitely not a freak. You're the brightest witch in the whole school."

The compliment brought a slight blush to her cheeks, and she looked down, not wanting to give James any ideas. She didn't know why the compliment was affecting her, they never had before. She took a deep breath and realized it was because, for once, the compliment was sincere and not a way to get her to go out with him.

His fingers were shaking a bit on the table and Lily looked up at him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded his head and stared at the back wall for a moment, as if thinking. Then he turned to Lily with the same smile she had seen the night before, it still wasn't reaching his eyes. "I'm fine. My summer…it just…wasn't that great either."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, feeling that he might want to talk to her. But, then again, if it was personal, he might not as Lily was a near stranger to him.

His eyes held the same watery appearance as they had previously, and he opened his mouth. For a few seconds he kept it in the same position, not speaking. "My–" he started, but was interrupted by the loud, singsong voice of Sirius Black.

"Prongsie-poo!" he yelled, with a sinister smile and a bucket of water. There was a yelp of discouragement from the front table that Lily recognized as their Head of House Professor McGonagall, but Sirius didn't listen. Instead, Sirius ran to James and dumped the water on his head, a smirk lighting up his features.

"That is a thank you for this morning," he said sarcastically. "I always love to be woken up by a bucket of ice cold water!"

James smiled and shivered at the same time. A mischievous glint sparkled in his eye, but Lily could still see the emotion from earlier nearly disguised by the water that was now soaking his upper body. "Well, you told me to wake you."

"Not with ice water!" Sirius glared. Then he turned to Lily and smirked. "Ah, Evans! What a pleasure to be joined by your company."

She rolled her eyes at the boy who had been joined by Remus and an out-of-breath Peter. "Too late," she heard Remus mutter and Peter groaned, sitting beside Lily and grabbing a pastry from the basket in front of him.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall appeared behind Sirius with a stern look on her face. She glared at the boy, but he smirked in response. "Hey, Minnie!" he exclaimed. "Did you miss me?"

"Black, detention!" she shouted, clearly agitated with him. "With me, tonight, and please, I hope you show more respect to your other professors."

He nodded with a grin plastered on his lips. "None of them are as special to me as you are so they get to keep the added prefix of Professor." Lily covered her mouth to keep in giggle. Sirius was the only student to be able to call McGonagall anything other than Professor and not be eaten alive, and while Lily and Sirius were not on the best of terms, the meetings between the Gryffindor Head of House and her student could make anyone laugh.

Remus and James, however, were not as successful at keeping their laughter to themselves. As their laughter filled the Great Hall, Peter looked up from his breakfast to see what he had missed and forced a laugh to escape from his mouth, although confused as to why they were laughing.

McGonagall rolled her eyes at the group, and sighed. "Potter, I suggest that you change before coming to my class," she told James and then turned to Lily with a questioning expression on her face, and although she didn't ask, it was obvious she was wondering why the Head Girl was sitting with the group. Shaking her head, she walked away, returning to her seat beside Headmaster Dumbledore.

"How much time do I have before class, Moony?" James asked.

Looking at his watch, Remus shook his head. "Not enough. Just let me do a drying spell on you."

James stood and so did Lily. She needed to find her friends so she turned to the boys. "I'll see you in class."

She walked down the table and was on the lookout for her friends when she felt an arm on hers pulling her down. She was forced to the bench and looked into the faces of her friends. Each held a look of confusion and slight anger.

"What were you doing with Potter?" Cecily asked a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah, you didn't wait for us so you could sit with him," Ivy stated slowly.

Lily shook her head at them and began to explain. "No. I came down here because I was ready and hungry. He was sitting by himself and I thought it would be nice for him to have someone to sit with, and then I wouldn't have to sit by myself either." She paused before adding warily, "I mean, he is Head Boy this year, and he's changed."

Michelle, who had been the one to pull her down, opened her mouth in disbelief. "Lily, he's been this way for a day, two tops. For six years he was an arrogant bully who has made your life miserable," she said, as if talking to a toddler. "I would have thought that you of all people would wait and see if he'd stay before you made a decision about him."

"Maybe if I'm kind to him he'll be nice to–"

"We just don't want to see you hurt," Cecily interrupted. "We all know what Potter's capable of, even you."

Lily didn't understand what was going on. She was defending James to her friends, something that she never thought would happen. They didn't comprehend what she was trying to tell them. "Look," she said. "Last night, Sirius said–"

Cecily scoffed, interrupting Lily's reasoning. "You're actually listening to Black! He lies, Lils! He and Potter probably made up the whole thing to get you into his trap!"

"Something happened to James this summer. It changed him and I think he's going to stay this way," Lily hissed across the table. She began to rant to her friends, not noticing that Cecily's eyes suddenly widened and Michelle looked to the table, as if realizing something for the first time. Ivy continued to stare at Lily. "He's not asking me out, he's actually shy around me. I think we could be friends now, which would make life a whole lot easier on all of us!"

Ivy smiled and turned to Michelle. "Hey, if Lily's friends with Potter, there's no stopping you and Sirius–"

"Don't even finish that sentence," the blond girl hissed. "And for the last time, Ivy, I do not like Sirius Black."

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**Okay, so tell me what you think. What's up with the characters? Do you like them?**

**Review!**


	5. Part I: James

**Hey, guys! For all of you that have been dying to find out about James, here's the chapter for you!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: James

For Lily, classes went well. She sat down in her classes beside Michelle and behind Cecily and Ivy, paying attention to the teacher speaking. She had transfiguration with McGonagall and potions with Professor Slughorn – who absolutely adored her. She also had Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Ancient Ruins, Herbology, Arithmancy and Muggle Studies – not that she needed it, but her and Ivy loved seeing the expressions of all the students in the class who hadn't grown up in the muggle world.

She had never had problems with her classes, as she studied regularly and had a knack for certain subjects. Her friends didn't have much trouble either, maybe an occasional potion mistake or a charm not working. For the most part Gryffindors were bright students, with the small exception being poor Peter Pettigrew, who didn't have an affinity for any class and was constantly caught cheating off James and Sirius, as Remus was strictly against the dishonest activity.

At the end of the week, Lily sat on her bed going over her notes and writing down what she had learned in her first five days of school. Ever since first year she had done this at the end of every week, but at the moment she was distracted.

Distracted by James Potter no less.

Of course, her friends thought it was great and that she was happy he wasn't talking to her, but she felt the exact opposite. She groaned, wondering what she could possibly be feeling. She and James had been enemies for as long as she could remember, and now she was starting to miss his insistent nagging.

She sighed, knowing that there was nothing she could do about James. She looked down at her list and a smile found its way to her lips. She quickly crossed out Herbology on the top of her paper and instead wrote the word 'people', beginning a list of what she had found out about her friends.

1. Something dreadful happened to James over break, and Cecily and Michelle know what it is.

She frowned. It was obvious that her friends knew. Ever since Lily had told them what James said about his summer being horrible, they had steered every conversation away from anything she could relate with her fellow Head.

2. James is ignoring me.

She didn't quite understand how James could go from being completely infatuated with her to not wanting to speak with her at all in a matter of months. Not that she liked his nagging, but she wished they could be somewhere in the middle, where they could have a civil conversation like they had at the first breakfast.

3. Michelle _does_ like Sirius Black whether she wants to believe it or not.

She rolled her eyes. Lily, as well as Cecily and possibly Ivy, knew she was in complete denial. Lily replayed the moments in her head where it was obvious that she liked him, like during Transfiguration when she had been staring at him for nearly forty-five minutes. But Lily was beginning to think the feeling was mutual. Sirius hadn't dated any girl since April, which was an extremely long time for him. This caused a few of the girls, who had asked him out in the past week and been denied, spread about a nasty rumor that he and Remus were having an affair. This, while putting a genuine smile on James's face, had put Sirius and Remus in foul moods and put a shocked, confused, and hurt expression on Michelle's face.

Another reason why Lily was convinced number three on her list was undeniably true – not that she wanted her best friend dating the biggest player in the school. But the two hadn't been bickering as much, which was always a plus side.

She shut her notebook and stood from her bed. Her friends wouldn't be back for a while; they had gone to visit Hagrid, the friendly half-giant who was the keeper of the keys and grounds. Normally, she would have loved to visit, but she always took her notes on what she had learned on Friday nights. It was a ritual that showed how much of a nerd she was.

But, tonight her mind was elsewhere, and she wanted to check out the Heads' common room. She'd wanted to check it out all week, but had no time. Putting on her shoes, she walked down the stairs, noticing Sirius and Remus playing Wizard's Chess with Peter watching in excitement. James was nowhere to be seen.

She walked through the castle, the soles of her shoes making small clicking noises against the hard, stone floor. She traveled down the long corridors searching for the portrait Dumbledore had told her about. After searching for nearly an hour, she found what she was looking for.

On the third floor was the portrait of a little girl. She couldn't have been more than five or six and looked at Lily with bright blue eyes. The girl had a pink dress with a ribbon around the waist and a smile on her face when she noticed the redhead.

"Ah, you must be the new Head Girl," the girl said with a childish lisp. "I'm Beulah."

"I'm Lily," she responded. "Could I get inside?"

Beulah nodded. "I just need the password."

"Daffodil," Lily told her, wondering why Dumbledore had picked a flower for the password into the common room. Beulah smiled at Lily and opened the portrait for her so she could go inside. Lily thanked her and walked in, hearing a noise. Thinking the worst, she drew out her wand and pointed it in front of her. Then she peered around the corner.

Her wand dropped to her side and she stood in the doorway to the common room for a moment. There was a small fire crackling in the corner and the decorations looked similar to the Gryffindor common room, except adorning the room were quidditch figurines and a large bookshelf. Lily found herself not caring about the appearance of the room and instead on the noise she had heard.

A figure sat on the couch and she knew it was James, his head in his hands. He was sniffling and she could tell he was crying. It concerned her, James never cried, not even when he was forced off his broomstick in a quidditch game and broke nearly every bone in his body. In some ways she didn't want to disturb him, but in others she felt odd standing and watching.

"James?" she asked quietly, making her presence known.

His head lifted immediately upon hearing her voice and he jumped up. He ran a hand through his hair nervously and Lily uncharacteristically didn't find it annoying as she was too concerned about his bloodshot eyes. She didn't even realize she hadn't called him by his surname, and he didn't either as his eyes scanned the floor.

She walked forward. "James, are you okay?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, Lily," he said, trying out her first name instead of calling her Evans. "I'm okay, I promise."

She just stared at him, knowing he wasn't okay, but also knowing it wasn't her place to contradict him. He turned away from her and walked to the window. Lily followed him while keeping a good distance between them. After a few moments he looked at her, wiping tears from under his glasses. "You know what, Lily, I'm not okay. I've been telling Sirius all summer that I was fine, but I was just trying to convince myself."

Lily nodded. "Do you want me to get him?"

James shook his head and instead walked toward her. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course," she said, wondering in her mind how she and James had gone from being enemies to friends in one week. It was preposterous and completely unlikely. It was almost like a fairytale, but she didn't believe in fairytales except that they were stories to tell to children at bedtime.

They moved to the couch where they could sit and talk to each other in front of the cackling fire. "Have you ever lost someone, Lily?" James asked after they watched the fire for a few minutes.

She nodded. "Figuratively I lost my sister."

James took a deep breath and continued to look at the fire. "I lost my parents," he breathed, his voice nothing but breath.

Lily gaped at him. "Oh, James. I'm so sorry."

He turned to her, his hazel orbs filled with grief. "I mean, they were old, even by wizarding standards," he added as if it were an excuse, as if it would make any difference to Lily and she would take away her condolences. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "They got sick over the summer – Dragonpox. They didn't stand a chance and I couldn't even be with them most of the time. It's really contagious and the Healer didn't want me contracting it, so I spent the summer at Padfoot's new flat. By the time I got to see them they were so far gone my dad just sort of stared at me, like he didn't know who I was."

Lily placed her hand on his, ignoring how her stomach clenched uncomfortably and began to flutter. "Were you close to your parents?" she asked.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah, I was an only child. I was as close to them as I am to Sirius, Remus, and Peter. They gave me everything I ever wanted and more, and they just…" Lily squeezed his hand gently, encouraging him to continue. "After seeing what Sirius's parents did to him, I knew I was so lucky to have my parents who loved me more than anything."

Lily knew vague information about Sirius's family life. She knew that his parents, who were radical Slytherins, disowned him after he ran away to James's house the year before.

Tear began to soak his cheeks and he turned to glare at the crackling flames. "I'm an orphan," he whispered. "I don't have any family left."

"You have Sirius, Remus, and Peter," Lily told him. "They love you like you're their brother." She waited until he looked up at her before adding, "and you have me."

He glanced at her in curiosity and suspicion. "After everything I've done to you? I was a complete, pompous jerk and I wouldn't be surprised if you ran away from me as fast as you possibly could."

She sighed. "We started off on rocky terms," she stated, remembering how they started arguing for the first time about her old friendship with Severus Snape. The friendship had ended in her fifth year after he'd called her a terrible name – a mudblood, which meant dirty blood and was the worst insult possible for a muggleborn like her. "But, I don't see why we can't start over. I mean, this year will be rather difficult with us bickering and arguing all the time."

James looked at her in gratitude. "Lily Evans, you are the kindest person I have ever met in my life. How can you put aside everything? You hated me; you threatened my life multiple times for bugging you. Why?"

"I've seen the way you've been acting this week," she told him, hoping he didn't take it the wrong way and think she was stalking him. "You haven't pranked anyone; you've treated the younger students with respect. If you're willing to keep up this attitude, I'll be willing to give you a much needed second chance."

A smile spread across his lips. "Lily, I grew up a lot this summer and I promise I won't let you down. Friends?"

She smiled as well and nodded. "Friends."

Lily didn't understand how she could give James a second chance after everything he'd done to her, but it seemed like the right thing to do. She hadn't done it out of pity for him, as she had been thinking about him since her return to Hogwarts. It was something her heart told her to do, a change of plans. She wondered how her friends would take when she told them that she was friends with James Potter. Looking down, she saw her hand was still holding on to his. Her heart thumped and she immediately withdrew her hand, looking away.

She didn't know what the feeling was that was invading her body, but she liked it.

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**Wow, longest chapter yet!**

**So, what do you think? Was it what you expected? **

**Tell me what you thought about it!**

**Review! Constructive criticism is always welcome!**


	6. Part I: Confrontations

**Okay, thanks for the reviews guys! They're greatly appreciated. Also, I just wanted to say a few things that I realized about the story after getting a review...**

**Diana, I can see what you mean about the mary-sue-ish-ness. In this chapter, you start to see a few weaknesses of the characters – specifically Cecily – and that's going to be one of the focuses of the next few chapters, I just wanted the readers to see that these girls were united and am afraid I didn't add their differences in early enough. Also, James will become a stronger character as the story progresses, you also see a bit of that at the end of this chapter. I'd like to see what you think of this chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Confrontations

Lily woke up and rubbed her eyes as a blast of sunlight filled the room. For a moment she didn't recognize where she was, until she felt light pressure on her shoulder. She turned and smiled. James had his head rested on her shoulder, breathing quietly and evenly, his eyelids covering his hazel orbs under his glasses. Lily lifted herself carefully, as not to wake him, and laid his head on the armrest of the couch. She knelt down and took his glasses from his face and placed them on the side table.

He looked peaceful.

Peering into his face, she could see the signs of his grief. Under his eyes were dark purple rings, signaling that he needed this sleep much more that she had originally thought. His cheeks seemed to have permanent tearstains. His normally sun kissed face was ghostly pale.

She touched his cheek with her hand. His skin was as soft as silk on her fingertips and her hand shivered slightly.

"What's happening to me?" she muttered softly, wondering how her feelings for James had changed so quickly. They were friends. She never thought she would say she was friends with James Potter, the boy she had called an arrogant toerag, the boy she hated.

A loud banging interrupted her thoughts and she pulled her hand from James's face. Turning to the door, she heard three familiar voices yell in frustration.

"James!" Peter.

"Prongs!" Remus.

"Prongs, you get your bloody arse up and open this portrait right now! Bloody girl won't let us in!" And last but not least, Sirius.

Then, there was a small giggle from Beulah the portrait.

Lily looked to the couch and made sure James was still asleep. He moaned quietly and his face contorted as if he was having a nightmare before he relaxed, going off into dreamland once more. With a look of concern, Lily walked to the portrait and opened the portrait hole. The portrait whacked Sirius, who was pounding on it, in the face as it swung open. He cursed quietly and glared at Lily, placing a piece of parchment in his cloak pocket.

Then, realizing for the first time it was Lily and not James who had opened the portrait, he raised an eyebrow. "Well, Miss Evans?" he asked curiously. "Fancy seeing you here, with _James_," he added snarkily.

Peter's mouth opened and closed like that of a guppy and Remus looked on confused. Sirius walked to Peter, closing his mouth with his hand before crossing his arms over his chest slyly. "You're friends have been looking everywhere for you," he told her. "I think Van Buren's going to murder the next person who doesn't know where you are. Burns and Michelle are going nuts as well."

"Yeah, their worried sick about you, Lily," Remus added. Then he looked to Sirius and muttered quietly so Lily wouldn't hear, "I thought the map was lying."

But Lily did hear and looked at the three boys questionably. "What map?"

Sirius smiled his trademark grin and patted her head. "Never you mind, Evans," he said sweetly. "Is James in there?"

Lily nodded and Sirius attempted to walk past her, but she stood her ground blocking the entranceway. He looked at her suspiciously and Lily crossed her arms over her chest as Sirius had done moments before. "He's sleeping, Black. I don't want you waking him, he had a tough night."

Sirius's face softened considerably and he began to fiddle with the buttons on his shirt. "You know?" he asked, more of a statement that a question. Lily nodded solemnly and thought back to the night before and how heartbreaking it was to see James so depressed. "He told you?"

"Yes," she responded quietly. "It's absolutely horrible."

Sirius nodded his head but sent Lily a look of warning through slit eyes. "Don't lead him on," he growled, his teeth gritted together.

Lily cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What are you talking about, Black?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Evans," he hissed. Remus walked up to him, trying to pull him back, but Sirius was planted to his spot. "You know how he feels about you; don't break his heart any more than it already is."

A feeling of hurt and confusion filled her body from Sirius's words. She didn't know why he would accuse her of trying to hurt James. She knew it seemed crazy that she and he were friends, but she would never hurt anyone, especially after what had happened to him. "You don't understand–"

"I don't care. If this is a little prank of yours to get back at him for everything he's done, stop it now!" he barked loudly. "James has been through way too much for you to do this."

"Siri," Remus said, pulling on his arm to get him to stop accusing Lily. "I don't think Lily's capable–"

Sirius barked with laughter and Peter cowered at the sound. "You don't think she's capable. I mean, I'll admit that James wasn't exactly an angel to her in the past, but she threatened him more times than I can count on every Gryffindor's fingers and toes!" He turned from Remus to Lily. "I know Van Buren could come up with something this cruel."

Having heard enough of Sirius's opinions of her and her friends, Lily stepped hard on his foot, causing him to yelp in pain, sounding like an abused puppy. She pushed past him, muttering a simple silencing charm and slamming the portrait hole behind her so they wouldn't be able to wake the sleeping James. When she turned the corner she could hear Sirius yelling her surname, but she didn't stop walking until she reached the Fat Lady. The woman smirked at her as Lily screamed the password, her temper flared to its maximum level. Once the portrait opened, Lily stormed in and was immediately hugged by Michelle.

"Lily! We thought someone took you!" her friend howled, squeezing Lily as hard as she could.

When Michelle let her go, Cecily and Ivy stood beside her and looked at Lily. "You can't go running off now, what with Death Eaters attacking everywhere," Cecily reasoned calmly. "We didn't know what happened to you."

"We left you in the dorm and when we came back you weren't there!" Ivy exclaimed, her eyes wide. "All your stuff was spread out, but you weren't there and then you didn't come back!"

Lily put up her hands, motioning for her friends to stop. "I'm alright," she said softly, realizing how irresponsible it was to stay with James, but he needed her. "I was just in the Heads' common room."

Ivy looked relieved and Michelle looked worried, but Cecily was the only one to speak. "Were you with Potter?"

Lily glanced to each of her friends' faces. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to tell them. She could tell them what they wanted to hear and lie to them. Or, she could tell them the truth, tell them she spent the night with James, and listen to their reactions.

"It's a yes or no question, Lily," Cecily said eerily calm. "Was he, or was he not, there?"

The common room was full of noise from other students, but for Lily it was silent. She looked into the faces of her three friends, each willing her to tell them what they wanted to hear. But, she knew in her heart she couldn't lie to them. She had never lied to her friends before, but then again, she'd never had anything to lie about. Silently, she nodded her head.

Michelle and Ivy looked to the ground, and Cecily nodded. "Well, for your sake, I hope he has changed for the better," she told her quietly with disapproval in her voice. "But if he turns back into his old, arrogant self, don't blame us."

"So, are you guys going out now?" Ivy asked with an innocent smile on her face.

Lily's eyes bulged open. "Merlin, no! We're just friends."

The three girls nodded, and Michelle looked up from the floor. "Did he…" she said quietly. "Did he tell you about his parents?"

Somberly, Lily nodded feeling tears fill her eyes when she thought about James losing both his mother and father during the summer and what it would feel like for her to lose hers like he did. Michelle walked toward her, bringing Lily into her arms. Over her friend's shoulder, she could see Cecily informing Ivy about what was going on. Lily sometimes felt out of the loop being muggleborn, and knew Ivy felt the same.

It felt good to Lily to know that her friends were backing her decisions. Sure, they weren't convinced that he had changed, but Lily could see it in his eyes. Perhaps if they looked hard enough at James they too would see the difference in his personality.

Michelle let go of Lily and glanced at Cecily before turning back. "We wanted to tell you when you said something happened to him, but…" she paused for a moment before looking up. "We felt it wasn't our place to say anything."

"I understand," Lily told her, nodding to Cecily. "It just shocked me that something this horrible could happen in _this_ world; I know it sounds naïve, but…"

"We know what you mean," Cecily spoke, her voice composed.

For a moment, the girls stood in a circle, taking in the comfortable silence that only best friends could feel. Michelle sighed, breaking the silence. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe it's a good thing that you and…James are friends. I mean, now being Heads together won't be completely miserable."

"I still don't trust him," Cecily voiced seriously. "The first time he ever does anything that hurts you, don't be surprised if he's hanging by his ankles in the Great Hall."

The three other girls giggled, picturing James hanging from the ceiling of the Great Hall at breakfast. Suddenly, Lily's stomach grumbled hungrily, and the girls laughed more. "Come on," Michelle said, latching her arm onto Lily's. "Let's go see what the house-elves have in the kitchens, seems as you missed breakfast."

They walked out of the portrait hole and Ivy added, "because you were alone with James Potter!" Then she started to giggle and Lily mock-glared at her.

"Oh, come on, Ives!" she moaned, biting her lower lip as her cheeks blushed crimson.

"Lily?"

Her jaw dropped and she stopped mid-step. All four girls turned to the deep, male voice with mixed emotions. Cecily and Michelle both glared at the speaker, Ivy's eyes widened in both fear and nervousness, while Lily merely stared. She didn't know what to say, or how to say the words that were flooding through her mind.

"Lily?" the speaker asked once more. "Can I talk to you?"

"Why would she want to talk to you?" Michelle hissed, pulling on Lily's arm and trying to get her to continue walking.

The speaker looked at Lily with black eyes. "Were you really with Potter?" he asked tensely.

"And what's it to you if she was?" Cecily responded harshly. She walked to the boy, and even though he towered over her, she glared at him menacingly.

The boy flicked his greasy, black hair and glared at Cecily. He was about to speak, but Lily had already had enough. "Severus, just leave," Lily told the boy. "Please."

Severus Snape looked at Lily with hurt in his eyes. "I just don't know why you would want to hang out with bloody Potter! Don't tell me he's brainwashed you into thinking he's all high and mighty!" he sneered.

"Please, Severus, stop!" she asked, her chest constricting. She hated that her relationship with him was over, as he was her second friend – the first being Petunia. Thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. Every one of her friends left her eventually, she came to realize. First Petunia, then Severus, was Michelle, Cecily, and Ivy next?

The first tear dropped down her cheek when there was a booming voice behind the group. "Snape!" came the bellowing yell. Lily looked past Snape and into the determined hazel eyes she had memorized the night before.

Snape turned and smirked at James. "What? Has the orphaned Head Boy come to rescue the Head Girl? You'll never be her knight in shining armor, Potter," he hissed, glaring at James and the fellow Marauders that stood behind him.

"Sniv–" he started to say, but then looked to Lily. He blinked once, calming himself, and started over. "She wants you to leave, Snape. So I suggest you go, before I sic Padfoot on you," he joked. Sirius, who now stood beside James, clenched his teeth together and pretended attack whilst growling.

Snape visibly tensed, glancing toward Lupin, which Lily thought was rather odd, before glaring at Sirius. "You're a freak, Black!" he shouted before glancing one last time at Lily, a longing expression in his pitch black eyes. Lily kept her expression blank, except for the few tears that still fell from her eyes. After a moment, he stormed off, angrily stuffing his hands in the pockets of his robes.

When Snape was out of the way, James rushed forward, taking Lily in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. She hated that she was forced to choose, but in the end, she would choose the same way every time. She would choose her friends, James, and the people who wouldn't slip up and call her foul names.

"Shh," James whispered into her ear soothingly. "It's my turn to help you."

And, for some reason that Lily couldn't explain, that made her feel better.

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**So, what do you guys think? We got to see a bit of Snape! Review!**


	7. Part I: Overprotected

**Sorry for the long wait, I tried to make up for it in length, it's the longest chapter. I was college hunting yesterday with my family. Thanks for the reviews!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Overprotected

Lily would be lying if her friends were taking her friendship with James in open arms. Ivy, always the dreamer, was the only one taking it well, and at times even dropped hints on how cute they would look as a couple. Michelle and Cecily, on the other hand, had completely different reactions.

Michelle at least tried to conceal her feelings toward James. When they were sitting with the Marauders and she called him Potter she tried to correct herself. Lily knew it was a lot to ask of her friend, her friend who had hated James nearly as much as Lily had. Michelle would sit at the Gryffindor table, staring daggers at James, no doubt remembering all the horrible and embarrassing events he and his friends put her through for being Lily's best friend, while Sirius would sit beside her and watch Lily's actions toward James intently as if he were guarding his friend like a watch-dog.

Cecily, however, didn't acknowledge James's existence. When he tried to speak with her, she completely ignored him and started a conversation with the nearest person to her, which was never a Marauder. She would sit with at least one of her friends between her and the four Marauders, sometimes speaking with Remus but mostly she ignored him as well.

Lily found that her late night rounds with James were not only insightful into his personality, but more fun as they roamed the castle together.

"So, you know all about me," James said one night in early October as they walked down the fourth floor corridor. "What about you?"

"What about me?" she asked, glancing up at him.

A smile spread across his face. "What are your parents like? How was your childhood? You know, stuff like I told you."

She dropped her mouth, looking up at him in mock disbelief. "You barely told me anything! It was always cryptic!" she exclaimed, waking a portrait on the wall that told her to be quieter.

"What's there to tell?" he shrugged. "I was an only child, the youngest cousin by decades, and I grew up with parents that waited on me night and day. Looking back, it's not something I'm proud of, Lils. I was a conceited jerk, or as you so fondly called me: an arrogant toerag, who got everything I ever wanted."

A thick silence filled the corridor and he sighed, kicking the stone floor lightly with his foot. Lily took his hand, feeling her cheeks heat up as she did. She was suddenly very glad it was dark in the corridor because she definitely didn't want James seeing her blush. She daringly glanced up at him. "You're not an _arrogant toerag_ anymore, and that's all that matters," she told him honestly. "Even if I heard someone pranked the Slytherin common room last night when Remus was on patrol…." She added slyly.

James stopped and pulled her back. They were standing in the white moonlight that was filling the corridor through a large window. He had a playful smile on his face and Lily felt herself smiling with him. She had never felt this way around anyone before in her life. James made it very easy for her to forget her troubles, to forget everything that had happened recently with Snape. After their run-in the first week of school, it seemed he was following her, watching her every move. James was never far behind when Snape came slinking from the dim shadows, which made Lily a bit more at ease while she travelled through the castle.

James chuckled softly. "Are you insinuating that I, the Head Boy, used my privileges to prank Slytherins?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me that you didn't?" His smile didn't falter, but he made no move to tell her she was right. She sighed. "James, Remus was just released from the hospital wing because he was finally getting over his whatever illness he had. He was still weak and he looked terrible! He shouldn't have even been patrolling, let alone sneaking into the Slytherin common room to transfigure all the furniture into stone lions, badgers, and ravens!"

"Who says I was part of that?" James asked, but Lily could tell he was lying. She rolled her eyes and he looked down at her. Their eyes connected, making Lily's stomach flutter excitedly. "You nearly got me off the question," he told her, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "nearly."

She shivered as his breath touched her ear. She turned around so James wouldn't notice. He stood still for a moment before chasing her to catch up. "What do you want to know?" she asked, not daring to look at him. She had an idea of what was going on in her body, and the butterflies in her stomach only confirmed what she didn't want to admit.

"Alright, what was your childhood like?" he asked. Then, before giving her time to say anything, he spoke again. "No, let me guess. You, Lily Evans, grew up with a doting mother and father who loved you because you were so darn cute and smart, and just a well rounded kid, you know? And, in your muggle school, you were the most popular girl and all the guys drooled over you." He smirked. "How right am I?"

Lily looked at James, her eyes squinting slightly in the darkness. "You're wrong," she whispered.

His eyes widened in shock and his expression clearly told her she needed to explain. "First, my parents…well they did everything they could. We aren't exactly well off, but they did love us, which leads me to another thing. You forgot Petunia."

"But, you hate her," he said confused as to why she wanted to talk about her sister.

"I don't _hate_ Petunia, we just…don't see eye to eye on…anything," she muttered softly, letting her eyes fall to the floor. "We were actually extremely good friends until my Hogwarts letter arrived."

James nodded. "Where else did I go wrong?"

Smiling at him, she readied herself for the face he was about to give her. "I wasn't popular, and I most certainly wasn't drooled on, Potter," she said, emphasizing his surname jokingly.

He looked at Lily in disbelief and shook his head. "I won't believe it," he told her seriously. "I can't imagine you not surrounded by a ton of people like you are here. Everyone loves you!"

After a moment of silence between the two, they turned the corner of the corridor and Lily shrugged. "Well, believe what you want, but in the muggle world, I wasn't exactly well liked. I had a bit of a nasty temper," James chucked a bit, nodding his head and raising an eyebrow sarcastically at her, "and the students didn't like my friend, Severus."

James stopped walking and Lily turned. "What?" he asked, baffled by the piece of information Lily had given him. "You were friends with the grease ball before Hogwarts?"

She glared at James for using a negative word against her old friend, but he didn't see it. Severus, she had decided, was different than Snape. He had changed when he arrived at Hogwarts, and she would remember him as he had been in her childhood memories. "James," she said harshly. "Severus was my friend, you know that. He was my first friend that wasn't Petunia. He had been the one that told me I was a witch – long before I received my letter. Severus will always be my friend–"

"Lily!" he shouted. A sleeping portrait of a portly man in pajamas groaned, blinking furiously and yelling at James to keep his voice down. "He's a creep! You said so yourself!"

Walking toward him, she placed a hand on his arm. He relaxed immediately, but anger still occupied his hazel eyes. "James, you didn't let me finish," she insisted. "Severus, the old Severus, the Severus I want to remember, will always be my friend. Snape, on the other hand…he lost my trust in fifth year."

James nodded, letting out a breath before continuing to walk down the corridor. Lily stood in place for a moment before running to James's side and looked up at him. "You're angry," she said softly.

He closed his eyes, blinking one, long, thought-provoking blink, before turning to look at her. "Your friendship with him is none of my business. You were little kids; maybe he wasn't so…._him_ back then, I don't know." He looked away from her. "As long as he stays away from you now, the past is not my concern."

"Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him gratefully.

He nodded and the two heard a crash. They ran around the corner and found a suit of armor sprawled on the ground with Peeves the mischievous poltergeist standing over it.

"Peeves," James groaned rolling his eyes at the mess the poltergeist had caused. "Pick it up now!"

The poltergeist laughed hardily, looking from James to Lily and back to James. "Why…if it isn't Potty wee Potter, the newest Head Boy!" He pointed to the armor with his fingers. "It wasn't me! It wasn't me!"

"Well," Lily said. "If it wasn't you, who was it?"

"Hmm…" the poltergeist started. "A friend of Potters, let's see you guess! But if you're not right, I will not confess!"

James glared at Peeves at he did a back flip in the air, giggling madly. "Do you want me to get the Bloody Baron?" he warned, knowing that Peeves only answered to the Slytherin ghost.

Peeves' eyes were as wide as saucers and he pointed his finger at James. "You're not fun anymore! Now you're a bore!" he insisted, glaring at Lily. With a huff, the poltergeist quickly moved down the hallway, shouting at the top of his lungs. "STUDENT OUT OF BED!"

James bent down and picked up the pieces of the armor, using his wand to put them back together. "Bloody thing's a menace," he muttered. He and Lily continued walking down the corridor, looking halfheartedly for students that could have knocked over the armor. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw a pair of shoes with no other body parts connected to them. She tugged on James's sleeve.

"Look," she told him, pointing to the ground. He looked over, and the shoes disappeared. His eyes narrowed and he pulled out his wand. Under his breath, Lily heard him say quietly, "_accio invisibility cloak_."

The shoes were suddenly visible once more, but this time they had an owner. A silky, material zoomed into James's outstretched hand, nearly invisible to Lily's eye. The two glanced at the boy who stood before them and James looked at him questioningly.

"Padfoot?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

Sirius looked like a deer in headlights. He was still dressed in his school uniform and stared at James for a long time before rubbing the back of his neck. He chuckled awkwardly, looking down at the ground. "Funny story really," he said.

James suspiciously raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?" he asked.

With a sigh, Sirius shook his head, but glared for a moment at Lily. "Nah," he said, not to James at all, but to Lily. "You wouldn't understand."

Noticing his friend's eye contact with her, James looked from Sirius to Lily with confusion. Lily looked at Sirius, knowing exactly what he meant and walked toward him. "I promise, Sirius, it's not what it looks like."

He widened his eyes, his fierce gray-blue irises full of anger. She thought for a moment he was going to sprout fangs and maul her like a rabid dog. He forced his breathing to slow, making him calmer, but his eyes still looked at her through slits. "You would protect your friends, right Evans?"

She felt her breathing quicken as he spat out her name, noticing it was her surname that he had addressed her with. All she could do was nod her head. He continued in the same tone as he had previously. "Well, I'm protecting mine," he hissed. When he spoke again, it was louder. "Now, who could help you with this? I know it's not Ivy, and I would like to think it's not Michelle, so there's only one plausible answer – the girl who doesn't even acknowledge his existence."

"Padfoot, what are you doing?" James asked from behind them. His voice betrayed his confusion.

"Prongs, don't you think it's a little odd that Evans is suddenly eager to be your friend?" he replied, his eyes not wavering from Lily. "She's leading you on!" he exclaimed. "I've done it before; I know the signs to look for."

Lily felt her eyes fill with tears. She couldn't believe what was happening to her. After six years of hating James, she had finally gotten to know him and care for him, only to get him taken away by Sirius Black. There was no way she could compete with Sirius, who was as close to a brother to James as he could get without being related.

James shook his head at his friend, walking toward him as if the whole situation was a joke. "You don't get it–"

"No, I do get it, Prongs," Sirius said quietly but forcefully. "She's just pretending–"

"Lily and I are friends," James interrupted, now standing beside her.

Sirius inched forward and the two were standing centimeters apart, staring into each other's eyes in determination. Neither was going to back out of the argument and Lily didn't know what to do. She felt like she was standing in the corridor, watching two best friends lose their friendship.

Because of _her_.

"I'm your best mate. I know what's best for you!" Sirius said loudly. The portraits lining the hallway were now fully awake and watching the row in interest.

James shook his head. "You know what's best for me? _You_ know what's best for _me_?" He laughed, but it wasn't the carefree laugh Lily had become acquainted to, it was deep and sinister. "That's rich!"

"Look, I've been watching–"

Outraged, James began yelling and Lily felt her breathing quicken. "You've been following us?" he screamed.

"Prongs, don't you get it?" Sirius was now screaming at the top of his lungs. "This…_relationship_ of yours will never work!"

"And why not, Padfoot?" James yelled questioningly.

"Because you're still bloody head-over-heels in love with her!"

The minute the words left Sirius's mouth, Lily saw his face soften. He looked worriedly at James, his eyes widening at his mistake. The corridor was silent except for the soft breaths of the three Gryffindors. Sirius reached out, attempting to place his hand on James's shoulder, but the latter shook him off.

"Leave." James's voice was cold and distant.

"Prongs…" Sirius whispered.

"Sirius, _leave_, before you make this any worse than it already is!" James shouted, turning his back on Sirius and crossing his arms over his chest. He tossed the invisibility cloak over his shoulder. "Take this back to the dorm and put it back in my trunk where you found it."

Lily thought she saw tears in Sirius's eyes. He quickly shook his head. "Fine," he said quietly. "But, don't come running to me when she breaks your heart again. It's Moony's turn."

As Sirius covered himself in the cloak, Lily looked to James. He looked out the window, breathing heavily. What had she done?

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**Alright, what do you think?**

**Review! (please?)**


	8. Part I: Together

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews from those of you who left one!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Together

Lily didn't know what to say, but she hated standing in the corridor in silence. James was staring out the window, already looking lost without Sirius. In six years, they had never had a fight, or at least not a major one that caught the attention of the students. Now, in their seventh year, she singlehandedly destroyed their friendship.

She was caught. Behind her was an empty corridor. She could run. She could race Sirius to Gryffindor tower and tell him to forget everything, tell him it was all a mistake and that she would go back to hating James. But, deep in her heart, she knew she'd never be able to do that. Suddenly, she couldn't imagine life without James.

That left her with one option.

She walked forward and stood beside James, staring at the stars out the window. He didn't speak. Instead he sighed and looked to Lily with mixed emotions. She placed her hands on the stone surrounding the window, the edge of her hand lightly pressing against his. She felt her cheeks heat up. He shivered. "I don't blame you if you want to run as fast as you can away from me," he told her.

She stared at him in confusion. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Didn't you hear what he said?" James asked. Lily had heard, but nothing came to mind that would make her want to run away. "Lily, I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to you. That one fact could make everything a lot more complicated."

Lily looked away. What was she supposed to say? She couldn't come out and tell him about the butterflies she had felt the entire night. She didn't even know what her feelings for him were anymore. The entire month of September and the beginning days of October were a complete blur to her. Every detail was squished together leaving her with a patchwork of memories that she couldn't distinguish.

But, she realized, they were all stitched together with a common element – James.

She couldn't remember wanting to spend more time with anyone in her entire life. When she wasn't with James, she wanted to be. She suddenly loved hearing his laughter, seeing his smile. For the first time in her life, watching him run his hand through his hair wasn't annoying. But, at the same time, her life had never been more confusing.

James sighed, and looked away awkwardly. Lily, as much as she thought she wanted to, couldn't pull him away from Sirius. That would be like James trying to make her choose between Michelle and him. It was an unfair situation for him to be in.

"James," she said, but her voice died off.

He looked up at her with a small smile. "I know," he stated. "It'll never work, we can't be friends now. Um, so I'll take odd days for patrol, do you want even days?"

Lily shook her head. "James, I…"

"No, it is okay, Lily," he said, running a hand through his hair nervously. "I wasn't even going to tell you, but now that it's out in the open, thanks to Sirius…you know and why should I deny it." It wasn't a question.

Lily didn't know what to do. She didn't want to lose James, she knew that, but if she took him away from Sirius, she would lose him. He wouldn't be the same James. She was scared because this decision would decide everything. The plans she had made for her life hadn't included drama at Hogwarts, and now she seemed to be the root cause of it.

Then, to make matters worse, there was a voice in her head telling her this was her fairytale. She could hear her friends who all believed they would one day meet their prince charming. When they said that, she would always shake her head. No, she would say, I don't believe in soul mates.

James glanced at her with the hazel eyes Lily had learned to enjoy looking into and her body tried to relax itself, but Lily was too far gone in her thoughts. Her heart was contradicting her mind. He was saying something, and she couldn't hear. All she could focus on were his beautiful hazel eyes – light brown with blue-green specks and a ring of gold around the pupil.

He shook his head and began walking down the corridor. Lily closed her eyes, begging her mouth to say something, call out to him. Ivy's words ringing in her head about her and James together made her eyes open wide. Had she let herself fall in love with James? No, she couldn't have, she reasoned in her head. It had only been a month. She felt her heart thump in her chest. Maybe she wasn't in love with him, but she would be lying if she didn't tell James she was attracted to him.

Love, she didn't know. But she did know she fancied him. She fancied James Potter, which was something she never thought she would say.

"James!"

She was running, the quiet pitter-patter of soles on the stone floor the only noise in the corridor. James had stopped and turned to look at her. She slowed down and looked him in the eyes. Her palms were sweating, her breathing heavy. He looked at her questioningly and she knew she needed to explain.

The question was: how did she explain this?

"Was Sirius telling the truth?" she asked, although he had already explained the answer. "Do you love me?" His answer was a simple yes. She sighed before continuing. "How did you know?"

He shrugged. "I just knew," he told her honestly. "I mean, I knew the first time I asked you out, back in fourth year."

Lily remembered it clearly. He had stood on the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and declared his love for her. It was one of the more embarrassing displays he had done. She had flat out told him she would rather date a Hungarian Horntail causing everyone to laugh and James to slink back into his seat. He hadn't asked her for a few days after that and then it became a daily ritual.

"I truly did love you, Lily. I just didn't know what love meant," he said quietly. "I mean, I'll admit after that first time it was more of a game and more lustful, and in some ways it was more of a strategy of retaliation."

She looked at him. "Retaliation?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I was heartbroken, Lily. No one had ever denied me anything before." He sighed and looked down at her. "Sirius and I, we decided that maybe it would help me get over you or something stupid like that. And we thought you would feel as embarrassed as I felt."

Lily saw hurt in his eyes from remembrance and decided she would not tell him he had succeeded. She had always thought that it was a joke, but now she saw he had been just as confused with his feelings as she was with hers. She reached out and grabbed his hand. She had never had many boyfriends, as most were afraid that James would prank them into oblivion.

"James," she found herself saying quietly. "I'm sorry."

He scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. "Why are you sorry?"

She took a deep breath. "For hurting you, for making you fight with Sirius–"

"First and foremost, you did not make me fight with Sirius," he stated eerily calm. "Sirius and I were long overdue for a fight, and I don't mind arguing with him if he is falsely accusing you of pretending to be my friend." He shook his head. "I mean, honestly, I'm the one who has gotten to know you, not him. Shouldn't I know if you're pretending? I know I'm blind," he pointed to his glasses with the hand that wasn't holding hers, "but I'm not that blind."

Lily giggled and he grinned. "James, you haven't asked me out since last term," she said, slightly shocked that felt a small pang in her heart by the statement. "Why don't you ask one more time, you know, for good measure," she suggested, realizing that this was her chance. She had made her decision. "You might be surprised by my answer."

He shook his head. "Lily, you don't have to if you don't want to," he told her.

"I know, James," she said, as the speed of her heart increased. "I want to."

James stared at her for a few moments, trying to decide whether it was a trick of his mind. He pinched himself, making Lily giggle. He shook his head. "Really, Lily?" he asked, still not believing what she was saying.

"Yes," she said, biting her lower lip and smiling. "I have never been more at ease with anyone as I have been with you this past month. I can't imagine not being around you. I even have butterflies."

A grin broke out on his face. "Me too," he told her. "So, Lily, do you want to go out with me?"

She looked at him. The question was neither arrogant nor haughtily asked; instead it was innocent and hopeful. She nodded her head, seeing a light in James's eyes she had never seen before. Taking his free hand in her own, she gasped quietly at the shock that radiated through her body.

She was James's girlfriend. She, Lily Evans, was dating James Potter. What a turn of events.

He rested his head on her forehead and Lily breathed in his scent. He smelt wonderful and she felt herself become weak in the knees, causing her to use every bit of strength to keep herself standing. He leaned down, their lips were millimeters apart. Lily could feel his breath on her lips.

How had everything changed so quickly? How could she go from hating James to being friends to fancying him? She didn't know, but it felt so right to have his hands in hers. She closed her eyes, wanting him to kiss her. She had kissed a few guys before, only by two that were brave enough to ask her out despite James's actions, but she had never wanted to kiss someone as bad as she did at the moment. James inched forward, as if he was uncertain on what to do.

"Prongs?"

James threw his head back in frustration and turned to the voice. Lily sighed. She was hidden from the person's view by James's body, but she wished the person had waited a few more seconds. Either that or taken a different corridor.

James growled. "Moony, has anyone told ever told you that you have impeccable timing?"

Lily heard Remus mutter a few words and she looked over James's shoulder. Remus still looked terrible. He was pale with red cuts covering his face that stood out boldly on his ghost skin. His eyes bulged open when he noticed Lily.

"Lily?" He questioned, before looking back to James. "Prongs?"

James nodded. "Yep, Moony," he said not cockily, but happily. He placed an arm around Lily's shoulders and she suddenly felt safe in his embrace.

"Wow," Remus breathed with a look of shock still on his face. "Does anyone else know?"

Both looking toward the ground, Remus got his answer. No one knew, except for Remus and Sirius probably had a clue. Lily sighed, wondering what her friends might think. Ivy would be happy, she knew that, but Michelle and Cecily would be another story. She would have to wait and see.

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**Hope you liked this. Remember to review!**


	9. Part I: Reactions

**Okay, sorry about the wait. I was banned from the computer until I did my homework. I still have some left, but…here I am.**

**This is about 500 words shorter than usual, but I wanted to get a chapter out there.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Reactions

The Gryffindor common room was vacant when James and Lily returned from patrol hand in hand. Lily was extremely happy that her friends weren't sitting on the couches waiting up for her. When the two reached the bottom of the girls' staircase, James stopped, kissed Lily's forehead lightly and smiled down at her.

"'Night," he whispered.

With a smile playing across her face, she nodded her head, suddenly unable to speak. He pulled away slowly before walking up the boys' staircase, leaving Lily at the bottom watching him ascend. She touched her forehead with the tips of her fingers.

She walked up the staircase and entered her dorm. The soft sound of Ivy's snores escaped from the bed closest to the door. The curtains of Cecily's four-poster were pulled tight. The sheets of Michelle's bed were scattered over the mattress with no body underneath. Lily looked to the window and, in the moonlight, saw her best friend.

Michelle was almost glowing in the white light that was flooding into the room through the windows. Her hand was rested against the glass and her knees were curled up to her chest. She was dressed in her blue and white plaid pajamas and hadn't noticed Lily enter. After a few moments of watching her stare out the window, Lily walked to her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her body jerked in surprise.

"Lily!" she whispered, as not to wake their dorm mates. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Lily apologized quietly. "Why aren't you in bed?"

Michelle shrugged and shook her head. She looked conflicted; it was as if her heart was telling her one thing and her head was telling her another. Lily sat down beside her. They both looked out the window at the serene lake, taking in the rich landscape that surrounded Hogwarts. Lily thought they would sit in complete silence for the entire night, until Michelle looked away from the window. She glanced at Cecily's bed before looking to Lily.

"I don't want to offend you, Lils," she said gently. "But I have to ask you something."

Lily nodded and encouraged her to continue. Michelle looked down at her hands, which were in her lap and hidden in the soft shadows. A sense of shame radiated off her and Lily began to worry. Finally, Michelle looked up and whispered, "Is it a trick?"

"Is what a trick?" Lily asked.

Michelle blinked. "Your friendship with James," she forced out of her mouth. "Is it a trick?"

Lily felt her heart sink and she sighed sadly. "No," she said, shaking her head vigorously. She stopped shaking her head and leaned it against the window. "No, it's not. Where did you come up with that idea?"

But, Michelle didn't need to answer the question, as Lily was sure she already knew the answer. There was only one person she could think of that would give Michelle the idea that it was a trick.

A groan escaped Michelle's mouth. "I'm such a terrible friend," she hissed, more to herself than to Lily. "I can't believe that I listened to Sirius before I asked you about it! I know you wouldn't do something like that."

"I'm sure it was convincing," Lily said, remembering Sirius's words toward her earlier that night.

Michelle shook her head. "I mean, it seemed odd that you and James were suddenly friends, but I didn't really think you were trying to hurt him…" she put her head in her hands. "Then Sirius said that you were leading him on to hurt him and that Cecily was helping you, and suddenly it seemed plausible. I don't know why, but it did!"

Lily placed her hand on Michelle's knee. "It's okay," she said, knowing that it would be easy for Sirius to convince her. Of any of her friends Michelle would be the easiest because of her current state of attraction toward the handsome boy. She knew from experience that Sirius could be incredibly persuasive and extremely suave, attributes he used to his advantage. None of those helped Michelle in the slightest, and Lily could see why she had believed him. That's what happened when people's judgements were clouded by crushes like Michelle's.

"I'm sorry, Lily," she said ashamedly. "It's just…when Sirius told me, I didn't know why it was only you and Cecily, and thought maybe…I don't know. I guess I got jealous and then I wondered why you would do it. But I'm glad it's not true because that would be awful to do that to him now, after everything that's happened."

Lily nodded in agreement. "How was patrolling?" Michelle asked, clearly wanting to get off the topic of her doubting her friend.

"It was wonderful," she said with a smile. Then her mind fell to the argument between James and Sirius and her smile was replaced with a frown. "Well, partly wonderful."

Michelle looked at her in confusion. "How can patrolling be partly wonderful, or wonderful at all for that matter?" she asked curiously.

Raising an eyebrow, Lily smirked at her friend. "It was going fine until we found out Sirius had been following us. He and James had a monstrous fight."

"Oh no," Michelle whispered, looking away from Lily to the door to the dormitory. "What was it about?"

"Me." Michelle's eyes bulged open and Lily giggled slightly. "You know, Michy, that's not very attractive."

Had it been a normal conversation, Michelle would have playfully punched Lily in the arm, but the fact that James and Sirius had fought, and it had been about Lily no less, was not a joking matter. Michelle didn't speak, giving Lily time to think. On the first day, Sirius had actually been the one to suggest she go out with James. Apparently, he didn't think she would actually take his advice.

"What happened?" Michelle asked warily.

"Well," Lily muttered. "Sirius made his theories clear and James tried to defend me. It escalated from there to a point where Sirius told James to go to Remus if I broke his heart again and he basically declared James's love for me."

Michelle groaned and shook her head. "Merlin, Sirius! Why can't he ever use his brain?"

Lily shrugged, and Michelle looked at her questioningly. "Wait," she said quietly. "That's how patrolling was bad, how was it wonderful?"

At this point Lily looked out the window and smiled. She was glad that she was telling Michelle first. She had a feeling that she would understand – seems as she liked a Marauder as well – but if she didn't, she wouldn't show it.

"James asked me out," she told her friend slowly. "And I said yes."

Michelle's jaw dropped and she stared at Lily for a few minutes not saying a word. She would smile and then frown and every time she changed her expression she looked more baffled than she had before. Lily knew she still didn't trust James fully, but knew she would be willing to work on it because Lily was her best friend.

Just as Lily would be willing to show Sirius she wasn't trying to hurt James because, not only was he James's best friend, but it would better for her best friend as well.

"You're James Potter's girlfriend?" she asked loudly in disbelief.

Lily nodded with a smile. "I know. Crazy isn't it?"

Michelle gave one head nod as the information began to sink in. There was a shuffling behind them and they turned to see Ivy sitting up in bed. Her hair was a frizzy mess and she looked at her two friends with sleepy eyes. "Who's James Potter's girlfriend?" she asked while yawning.

The two girls giggled at their friend. "Lily is," Michelle supplied.

Ivy just nodded her head and fell back to her pillow, muttering quietly under her breath. They chuckled quietly at their friend's behavior. Michelle turned to Lily with a sly smirk on her face.

"Is he a good kisser?" she asked with her eyebrows raised.

Lily shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Remus walked in."

Michelle rolled her eyes and turned. Her good-natured smile fell and she looked to the ground. Lily looked up and her eyes met the cerulean irises of Cecily. Her curtains were pulled back and she stared at the two with an emotionless face.

"Sorry if we woke you," Lily said quietly. Cecily's reaction was the one she was worried most about.

Cecily nodded. "What are you talking about?" she asked evenly, although Lily could see in her eyes that she already knew. In fact, Lily wouldn't have been surprised if Cecily had been awake for the entire conversation.

Lily said, "Just my patrol with James," at the same time that Michelle said, "Lily's new boyfriend."

There was a moment of silence that filled the dorm before Cecily took a deep breath and nodded. "Oh," she said. And that was all she said. She pulled the curtains around her bed and the conversation was over.

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**So, what do you think?**

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	10. Part I: Truce

**Okay, sorry about the wait. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

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Part I: Truce

Lily walked into the Great Hall the next morning and immediately noticed James. She sat down beside him, leaning into his embrace while letting out a yawn. She hadn't slept the night before. Cecily's reaction to her dating James was not what she had expected. She had expected an explosion, a long string of curse words and possibly jinxes, but all in the calm demeanor that personified Cecily Van Buren. Instead, Lily was met with one word that plagued her the entire night.

She knew that James knew something was wrong. He stared at her for a few moments, gently pressing her toward him while pushing his half eaten breakfast toward Peter. The mousy boy quickly began picking at it with a contented smile.

The Gryffindors, nosy by nature, found Lily and James interesting. Every group attempted furtive glances, except the first years who had never known the fighting version of the duo. The older students were much better than the younger students at sneakily glancing down the table toward the seventh years in their house. They had never seen the eight kids sit together and carry on civil conversation while Lily rested in James's arms. Having had enough stares, Sirius grabbed an apple and chucked it toward a group of cocky third years. He smirked when it hit the ringleader in the face.

"Was that necessary?" Remus asked, looking toward the head table to see McGonagall glaring at the boys. Sirius merely nodded in response and laid his head on the table.

The group stood when breakfast ended and began to walk to their first class, Transfiguration. Sirius trudged along, yawning every so often and stretching for an added effect. Remus rolled his eyes and walked toward the front of the group, having a conversation with Ivy and Peter. Once the slow moving Sirius had passed him, James pulled Lily away. He leaned against the wall and looked into her eyes with concern.

"What's up, Lils?" he asked slowly.

She shrugged and faked a smile. He raised an eyebrow which told Lily that he wasn't buying into her attempts to not answer his question. "Did you tell your friends?" she asked.

He nodded. "I figured it would be rather awkward this morning if I didn't. You did, right?"

"I did," she said, looking at the ground. "But that's where the trouble came in."

James sighed. He reached for Lily's hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. Letting out a deep breath, he leaned his head against the stone wall. "They hate this," he said quietly. "They hate the fact that we're together."

Lily shook her head, not wanting him to get the wrong impression. Not all her friends were against them. "No, James," she told him gently. "Ivy adores us already and Michelle's okay with this, but–"

"Cecily," he said, nodding his head. "I should have known. She always ruins everything."

Lily furrowed her brow and looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked. She didn't like the tone he spoke in, but thought that he could give her an answer as to why Cecily didn't like James or the Marauders and wasn't willing to get over it like Ivy and Michelle.

He shook his head with a small smile on his face. "It's nothing, Lily." He brought her to him and kissed the top of her head. "Forget I said anything."

A mass of Hufflepuffs walked by them and Lily assumed it was time for them to get to class. The last thing they needed was to be late to McGonagall's class. James slinked his arm around her waist and Lily smiled at the touch, nearly forgetting about the conversation they had just finished. She loved how her heart accelerated when she was around James and how he could take her away from her thoughts.

They walked together into the classroom and Lily saw her normal seat beside Michelle was taken by Sirius. He was leaning back in his chair with his feet rested on the table. His eyes were closed and he had the hood of his cloak over his shaggy black locks. While he seemed completely relaxed, he was carrying on a conversation with Michelle, who noticed Lily enter and waved.

Ivy turned around in her seat and her eyes widened when she saw Lily and James. James was pulling out Sirius's usual seat for Lily and Ivy squealed happily. Sirius, who was used to the high pitched squeals of Ivy Burns, jumped up, hitting his feet hard on the table, and turned. Remus snorted quietly in his seat at his friend's movements. Cecily continued to look toward the front of the room. Peter was the only Gryffindor not in the class. Instead the boy had Care of Magical Creatures and in his place were two Hufflepuffs who rarely conversed with their Gryffindor classmates.

Sirius glared at the tawny haired boy and opened his mouth but was interrupted by the slamming of a door. McGonagall walked through the rows. Sirius placed his feet on the ground and looked up innocently at the professor, who strode by him to the blackboard. She wrote a few words on the board and instructed the students to begin practicing the Conjuring Spells that they had begun to learn.

Many of the students were still having trouble, as it was NEWTS level learning. Lily tried a few times and only a few sparks escaped her wand. After trying for the first half of class, she finally managed to conjure a small dove from her wand. Her eyes widened with excitement and then she looked up to see if anyone else had been successful. Remus seemed to be the only one who was close, as half a chicken was running around on his table.

She turned to James and he smiled, handing her a rose. She took it in her hand and smiled. It smelled real and it was hard to believe that James had just conjured it out of thin air. He propped his head up on his hand and the smile not fading from his features.

"Very good, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, noting the flower that Lily held in her hand. "And Ms. Evans: wonderful."

By the end of the class period, each student had achieved something. McGonagall told the class that they would work on the same spells the next day and not to worry if they hadn't succeeded fully. Lily looked up to see where her friends were heading, as they had a free period. Cecily and Ivy were waiting at the door and Michelle was still sitting in her seat. She was speaking in hushed tones with Sirius who kept looking back at Lily. She tried to read the lips of her friend, but, by the time she decided to, the conversation was over and all she saw was Michelle's mouth say the word please and Sirius grudgingly nod his head. Lily felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up into James's face.

"You ready?" he asked.

She smiled at him and nodded. As she stood a voice interrupted them. They turned and saw Sirius standing before them. He sighed and first looked the James. "I'm sorry, mate," he muttered. "About last night, I overreacted."

"It's okay, Pads," James said while reaching his hand out. He and Sirius did some sort of confusing handshake before the latter turned to Lily. He looked like he didn't quite know what to say and he turned to Michelle. She nodded her head to him in encouragement.

"Eva…Lily, I'm sorry too," he spoke quietly. "Look, I….it's…."

"I understand," Lily told him. "It's weird, I know."

He nodded but still didn't look at her. "I just…never imagined this would happen and I'm…sorry. I should be happy for you two." He paused and sighed. "I shouldn't have accused you of trying to hurt James. I've just had enough of his broken hearts lately." The last part seemed to be a joke, but Lily didn't laugh, knowing that she had hurt James in the past.

Lily looked over Sirius's shoulder to Michelle. Her friend was smiling at her. Lily smiled back before looking up to Sirius. "So, are we okay now?"

He nodded, albeit unconvincingly but Lily knew it would take him time to get used to her and knew it wasn't a sudden friendship. Instead it was more of a truce. Michelle walked up beside Sirius and nodded to Lily and James. "Now everyone's okay," she said, pushing Sirius lightly in the arm. "Come on," she told him. "Let's leave them alone."

"Oh, wonderful," Sirius joked. "Now I'm going to have to watch where I'm going or I'll see Prongsie snogging Lily all over the castle."

"Ah, bug off, Padfoot," James laughed, pushing Sirius out the door. The boy smirked at James before Michelle dragged him out of the doorway. James shook his head at Sirius's behavior while he grabbed Lily's hand in his own. "So, where should we go?"

She shrugged as they passed a group of first year Gryffindors who were late to class. One of the boys spotted James and looked up with wide eyes. "James!" he yelled, stopping in front of the couple. "What's a good excuse to make Flitwick not mad at us for being late?"

James raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing, Billy?"

The little brown haired boy looked up at James with wide green eyes. "It wasn't anything important," he said quietly. "We just ran into a few Slytherins. They stole Aggie's books," Billy pointed to a blond girl who appeared to have been crying. Lily recognized her as a shy girl that didn't talk much, even to the girls in her own year.

"Here," James said, nodding his head and seeing that Billy wasn't lying. Lily looked up at him, nodding her head. "Lily and I will take you."

"Really?" another boy asked in surprise.

James nodded and the two lead the small group of first years to the charms classroom. While Lily walked in the back with Aggie, James headed up the front. He was listening amicably to Billy explain what happened and how they had scared away the second year Slytherins with their Gryffindor bravery. Lily smiled watching James express interest in the event and show that he was impressed.

"That is great, guys," he said to the group, ruffling Billy's hair as they approached the classroom, "that you would stand up for each other."

"Really!" Lily could tell that Billy wanted James's approval.

James nodded. "You demonstrated the Gryffindor characteristics," he said proudly. When they entered the classroom, James told Flitwick that they were stopped in the hallway by a teacher and he was supposed to bring them to him. Flitwick nodded and told them to sit down quickly.

Billy looked up at James. "Thanks," he said hurriedly, before rushing to his seat.

When they left the room, Lily looked up at James until he asked her what she was looking at him for. She smiled. "You're great with kids," she stated.

He chuckled. "Yeah?" he asked, running a hand through his hair bashfully. "That's surprising because I'm the youngest cousin by a few decades," he added.

Lily smiled and squeezed his hand. He would make a great father one day. Lily felt her stomach flutter thinking about it and her cheeks heated up. She looked to the ground as they walked out of the castle. They sat down under one of the trees surrounding the lake, Lily leaning into James with a contented smile on her face. She could sit with James for hours.

She looked up at James and he rested his forehead on hers. He was looking at her as he had the night before. She knew what was going to happen and closed her eyes as James touched his lips to hers. Her heart fluttered in chest at the gentle touch. He pulled away and she opened her eyes to see a smile played across his features.

Lily felt herself smile too and James leaned down once more. It was soft and gentle, much better than any kiss Lily had ever received. She had only kissed two guys, a Ravenclaw boy in fifth year and a Hufflepuff in sixth year, but she knew that she liked James's kissed a lot more than any she had been given by them.

She answered Michelle's question from the night before in her head. Yes, James was a _very_ good kisser.

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**So, they kissed. What do you think? **

**Review!**


	11. Part I: Quidditch

**Okay, sorry for the long wait, but I had this finished Monday, then the stupid submissions were down. I took that time to get a few chapters written. Aw well, it's up now!**

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Part I: Quidditch

October came and went quickly. It seemed that Lily's final year in school was soaring past her at an alarming speed. Only a day before she had arrived to Hogwarts, she kept telling herself, but instead it was two months ago. Lily blamed it on the fact that she was having so much fun. She had fun in her classes and then had fun with her friends, James, and the Marauders.

She loved her relationship with James. They could talk for hours, just shooting the breeze or flirting. They didn't need to be constantly touching each other, but merely being in the other's company was enough. She'd written her parents about him for the first time, unsure of what their reaction would be to James, but they were happy that she was happy. And, of course, her father wanted to meet him.

"The famous Logan Evans!" James said on one of their patrols when she had told him. "As long as he doesn't murder me, I'm fine."

"He won't murder you," Lily had told him. She smiled thinking of her father. Once she was sure James would be okay talking about parents, she had told him all about her father. She knew that they would get along great. "If he didn't attack _Vernon Dursley_, he wouldn't touch anyone."

James had chuckled. Lily had told him all about her sister's husband. She and Vernon did not get along at all. She was not looking forward to going home for Christmas and had even asked James to come with her. He had shook his head, saying that he wanted her holidays to be okay and that he was sure his being there was not going to make Vernon or Petunia behave themselves. He was going to stay at Hogwarts with Sirius and Remus.

"I could stay with you?" Lily had asked hopefully. She really didn't want to spend her holidays with her sister and, more importantly, her sister's husband.

His eyes had widened and he shouted no. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then shook his head. "You'd have no fun, Lils. It'll just be Sirius and I acting like animals and Remus being…himself."

Lily turned over in her bed as the curtains were thrust open. She squinted at the sudden burst of sunlight that filled her eyes. There were a few giggles and Lily opened one eye. Ivy and Michelle were standing over her bed, both head to toe in Gryffindor paraphernalia.

"Lily, you have to get up now!" Michelle laughed, pulling on her arm. "We can't be late to the game."

Ivy chuckled. "Yeah, what would it look like if the captain's girlfriend was late?"

Taking a deep breath, Lily lifted herself from the bed and took the various articles of red and gold clothing from her two friends. She looked to the bed next to hers and noticed the covers were neatly folded over the bed. Ivy noticed her stare and smiled sympathetically. "Cecily said she needed to do some work in the library and that she couldn't come today."

Lily nodded, although she knew it was just an excuse. Cecily still didn't approve of the Marauders and now that Ivy and Michelle were friends with the four boys as well, the black haired girl had become distant.

Quickly, Lily changed out of her pajamas and the girls rushed down to the pitch, forgetting about Cecily for the time being. They took their places at the front of the Gryffindor section beside Remus and Peter and surrounded by their housemates. Many of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws tried to squeeze into the Gryffindor section to show their support of them over the Slytherins. On the other side of the pitch was a sea of green and silver, but not nearly as many supporters were filling the Slytherin stands.

There were loud applause from the Slytherin stands and Lily looked down to the ground. The seven boys in emerald robes walked out cockily before mounting their brooms. The commentator, a fourth year Gryffindor, sneered out their names as they mounted and flew around the field.

"And here comes the Gryffindors!" the commentator cheered. "Potter, Black, Kirke, Ainsworth, Dering, Reynolds, and Swithen." He began to make a comment of Gryffindor being superior to Slytherin but was cut off by McGonagall.

Lily clapped loudly with her housemates and followed James with her eyes as he flew around the pitch with Sirius. They were flying around the Slytherin side when a few seventh years shouted at them and Sirius waved his beater's bat at them, threatening to hit them in a voice the Gryffindors could hear on the other side of the pitch. Lily could hear McGonagall groan.

Remus rolled his eyes and looked down at Lily. "I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever grow up."

Lily just shook her head and looked at Peter who was watching his friends in wide-eyed excitement. Michelle tugged on her arm, making Lily turn to her. "Why are there never any girls on these teams?"

She shrugged, never noticing before. She looked to Michelle with a smile. "You should have tried out," she offered as an answer.

Michelle let out one loud laugh. "Yes, so my parents could kill me. They still think the only job I can have is a healer. Should have heard what they said when I told them I was going to be an auror."

"That must have been an interesting conversation," Lily said, turning her focus onto the field where the game was about to begin. James was shaking hands with the Slytherin captain. He looked up at Lily and smiled before taking his place with the other chasers. The snitch was released, followed by the two bludgers, and finally the quaffle. James caught it with ease.

"And that's Gryffindor possession. Captain James Potter's heading to goal and nice pass to Adam Ainsworth and – Hey! That's a foul!"

One of the Slytherin chasers had grabbed the tail of Ainsworth's broom. Lily didn't know much about Quidditch, but she did know that was a foul and Gryffindor was awarded a penalty. Ainsworth sent the quaffle into the goal and Gryffindor was ahead ten to zero. The Slytherin chaser who had fouled Ainsworth, who was only a second year and under the careful watch of his older Gryffindor teammates because he was new to the team, was pelted by two bludgers. The crowd laughed when Sirius and his fellow beater Damien Kirke high-fived each other.

The game was one of the messiest that Lily had ever watched. After the fifteenth foul occurred in less than twelve minutes, Remus began a tally. When fourth year Gryffindor seeker Anthony Swithen caught the snitch, there had been one hundred seventy eight fouls. The Gryffindors all cheered loudly as the players flew to the ground. Sirius lifted the tiny Swithen in the air and he held the snitch up to his housemate spectators.

Lily, Michelle, Ivy, Remus, and Peter waited on the pitch for Sirius and James after the game was over and all the other students had left. There was no doubt that a party was starting in the Gryffindor common room. The Gryffindor-Slytherin game was the biggest game of the year and by winning, the Gryffindors now had a good shot at winning the Cup. Peter began going over the statistics, messing up a few times but no one corrected him.

They heard music and the group walked toward the noise. Outside the locker room the younger Gryffindors were sitting on the ground watching James and Sirius do some sort of victory dance. They were pumping their fists in the air, oblivious to their friends standing behind them. Their teammates were laughing at the two Marauders, the two epitomes of cool at Hogwarts, dancing in celebration.

Remus chuckled and the two stopped, turning on the spot to grin embarrassedly. The music stopped and Sirius pretended to dust himself off. Remus raised his eyebrows, but he just smirked at the tawny-haired boy. "Yeah, Moony," he said. "I'm excited."

"I can see that," Remus stated. The girls laughed and Peter just stared at his friends in awe.

James turned to the younger players and waved them off. "Go see how the party's going," he told them. "Merlin knows they've got a good one started."

The kids scurried off leaving the seventh years alone on the grounds. They walked out slowly, James and Sirius still talking animatedly about the game with Peter adding small tidbits despite being ignored by Sirius. When they reached the entrance to the castle, James pulled Lily aside. "Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Prongs! Party, remember?"

James shrugged and looked to Lily. "What do you say?"

"Okay," she said, turning to wave to her friends. Ivy waved as she watched James lead Lily in the opposite direction. Lily couldn't help but notice Michelle look sideways at Sirius.

"You had a great game, James," she said once the others were out of hearing range.

He smiled. "I play better when you're around," he told her truthfully. "You have to come to all the games now," he added playfully.

"I wouldn't miss them," she said. "Even if I don't quite understand."

He turned to her, neither realizing they had made their way back to the pitch. "What don't you understand?" he asked. He was still dressed in his quidditch robes. The scarlet fabric was flowing in the wind. "I'll teach you. Let me get my broom."

Lily shook her head. "You do remember flying lessons first year, right? I nearly killed myself."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the locker room. "Oh, come on, Lils! My broom is a whole lot better than the brooms you take lessons on. The things are a million years old!" He stopped and looked down at her. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded and added quickly, "it's the broom I don't trust. I like having both feet on the ground!"

He smirked and ran into the locker room. Within seconds he had brought out his broom, a Comet 180. He mounted and looked at her. She shook her head. "Why can't you just tell me?" she asked, looking at the broom apprehensively.

"You will learn so much better actually on a broom," he said with a smile. "Besides, you won't know if you like it unless you try it."

She walked forward and sat down, clutching onto James as tight as she could. "I like it just fine from the ground," she told him. There was a chuckle before they flew into the air. Lily let out a scream and shut her eyes. It reminded her too much of first year, when she had flown forty feet in the air before falling. Sirius had given her a rough time for the rest of the year, giving her nicknames like _Falls-from-Sky _and _the Incredible Falling Redhead_.

"Lily, open your eyes," James said quietly. She shook her head, but peaked anyway. They were hovering only ten feet above the ground, which made Lily feel comfortable enough to loosen her grip. "Can we go up a bit higher?" he asked, turning to face her.

She nodded, unsure if she truly wanted to. James lifted the broom slowly another ten feet and they hovered once more. After a minute, he asked her again if they could go higher. The pattern continued until the broom was hovering at normal playing height. Lily gasped. The view was amazing from the broom.

"It's beautiful up here," she said quietly, her eyes immediately finding the lake.

James smiled at her. "It is, isn't it?" he agreed before starting to point out the various quidditch positions and techniques. She understood most of what he was saying. She watched his eyes light up as he explained and could see the passion he had for the game.

She looked around at the beautiful views of Hogwarts' land when her eyes caught on a figure on the ground outside of the quidditch pitch. She could tell who it was even from her place in the air. It was Severus Snape and he was watching her. He looked between her and James, glaring with his large black eyes. She frowned.

"What's wrong?" James asked, trying to follow Lily's line of vision.

She took her eyes off Snape and shook her head. She didn't want James to know that Snape was watching them, afraid that he would go after him and get himself in trouble. When he turned to bring them back to the ground, Lily looked back to where Snape had been.

But he was gone.

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**So, what do you think? I'll have the next chapter up either tonight or tomorrow!**

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	12. Part I: Letter

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews! They were awesome!**

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Part I: Letter

Lily looked at the blank parchment in front of her. Ivy, Cecily, and Michelle were working on their homework in their beds, but she had already finished. She would have rather been doing her homework. Instead, she was forced to sit and write a letter to her parents and at the moment the words on the paper were: Dear Dad and Mum.

It would have been a fine letter. She could picture it in her head. Dear Dad and Mum, I'm having a grand time at Hogwarts. She'd go into her grades, talk about James and her friends, and sign her name at the bottom. But, her parents had to tell her the _good_ news.

"Ugh!" Lily groaned, slamming her head against the desk. Her friends looked up quickly.

"Oh, Lily," Ivy said quietly. "Just lie and tell them you're thrilled."

Lily shook her head. "It will never work, Ives," she said. "My mother would know. She always knows and then she would be disappointed in me. Maybe I'll just write to my dad, he'll understand."

Michelle stood and walked over to Lily. "Honestly, Lils, maybe you misread it."

Again, Lily shook her head and picked up the letter. She cleared her throat and began to read, impersonating her mother's voice. "Dearest Lily, it was so great to receive your last letter. James seems absolutely wonderful, although quidditch sounds less desirable."

Ivy chuckled from her seat on her bed and Cecily rolled her eyes. Michelle raised an eyebrow. "I didn't hear –"

"I didn't finish," Lily said solemnly. "We have great news as well! Petunia and Vernon have found this wonderful house in Surrey. Adorable really, Lily, you'll have to see it. But, anyway, it wasn't exactly to Petunia's liking," at this point Lily added in that _nothing_ was ever to Petunia's liking before continuing to read, "and they've decided to renovate. They'll be at the house with us until the end of January and be there throughout your Christmas break! Isn't that wonderful, Lily? Maybe you two can talk…"

Lily sighed. "She continues on about how we can _rekindle_ the relationship we had when we were younger. She just doesn't get that Petunia and I don't get along!"

"Maybe it won't be that bad, Lily," Michelle offered with a hopeful smile.

Leaning back in her chair, Lily didn't know what to say. Her sister thought she was a freak and Vernon hated magic even more than she did. There was no way that the holidays would be anything but terrible. She would have to spend most of it staying away from Petunia and Vernon. Getting frustrated, Lily stood and looked at her friends. "I need a walk," she stated.

"Good!" Ivy said while nodding her head. "Get all that out of your head!"

"Don't worry, Lily," Michelle said quietly. "I'll write home and ask if you can come to my house for part of break if Petunia and Vernon get too bad."

Lily smiled at her friend before walking out of the room. She shut the dormitory door and shook her head. Slowly, she made her way down the stairs to see Remus sitting on the couch by himself. She walked down and stood beside him. He was reading. She coughed and he looked up at her expectantly. His face was paler than usual.

"Are you getting sick again?" she asked quietly. While he was tall and toned, he was quite sickly.

He placed his book down in his lap and thought for a moment. With a good-natured smile, he said, "no, not for another week or so, probably."

Lily giggled and sat beside him. "So, where are the other Marauders this fine afternoon?"

"James didn't tell you?" Remus asked. Lily curiously shook her head. Remus laughed a bit before he spoke again. "That lovely Head Boy of yours, he landed himself a detention."

Lily rolled her eyes. "What did he do this time?"

Remus looked over his shoulder and turned back to her. "Well, don't tell anyone I told you this, but I hear they played a prank on the teachers."

"And you had no part in it?" Lily asked slyly. Remus shook his head, but winked at the same time.

Suddenly the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and three perturbed-looking Marauders walked in. Sirius, first to notice Remus sitting back to on the couch, leapt forward, wrapping his hands around the boy's throat jokingly.

"Moony, Moony, Moony," he said. James and Peter walked around to face their friend with evil smiles. "No, Mr. Black, I doubt Mr. Lupin had anything to do with the shenanigans that you and Mr. Potter got up to!" he shrilled in an impressive McGonagall impersonation.

James sat down on Remus's lap, slapping his cheek lightly. "Mr. Potter, I'm very disappointed in you," he said, imitating Slughorn. "Why can't you be more like Remus Lupin the goody-two shoes prefect that would never do anything wrong?"

Lily bit back a giggle.

"So, Mr. Moony, what do you have to say for yourself?" Sirius asked quietly. Peter watched the display wide eyed and Sirius rolled his eyes. "And say it quick before Wormtail here wets himself."

Remus smiled at Lily before looking up to Sirius. "Not guilty."

"Not guilty?" Sirius said in false shock. "Mr. Prongs, what do you think of that?"

James stroked his chin once before loudly crying out, "Mr. Prongs thinks that's the wrong answer!" A few first years looked up in shock at interaction. Lily knew the first years were thinking the boys were crazy. "Mr. Padfoot, what do you think?"

Sirius shook his head. "Mr. Padfoot is utterly disappointed that Mr. Moony wouldn't confess that he weaseled himself out a detention with his buddies. Mr. Padfoot says, guilty!"

Both raven-haired boys turned slowly from Remus to Peter with devious grins. "Mr. Wormtail?" they asked cunningly.

Peter looked from boy to boy before frowning to Remus. "Sorry, Moony," he whispered. "Guilty."

"Aha!" Sirius yelled, removing his hands from Remus's neck and pumping them in the air. "So, Mr. Prongs, what do you think Mr. Moony's punishment should be?"

James raised an eyebrow before smiling. "Mr. Prongs would like to suggest making Mr. Moony drop a dungbomb on Professor McGonagall!"

Sirius nodded. "Mr. Padfoot would like to suggest making him drop one on Professor Dumbledore!"

Both boys' eyes widened and they looked down at Remus with bright grins. Peter looked scared, but Lily didn't fear for Remus after looking at the boy's face. He seemed to be enjoying it and had a bright smile adorning his features. At the same time Sirius and James shouted the same thing. "Argus Filch!"

"Oh, please, Moony, dungbomb Argie!" Sirius begged, wrapping his arms around Remus's neck.

Remus used his hand to get Sirius to let go of him and then pushed James on the ground. He landed on Peter and the two fell over each other. The boys began to laugh. James stood and fixed his glasses, sitting beside Lily on the couch. Sirius jumped over the back of the furniture and sat on the coffee table.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Is that piece of furniture supposed to be sat on?"

Sirius nodded. James chuckled and turned to Lily. "What are you doing down here?"

Lily groaned, remembering her letter and let her head fall onto James's shoulder. She closed her eyes and listened to Sirius's barking laugh. "Way to go, Prongs!" he cheered through his laughter. She felt James move and heard Sirius grunt. She opened her eyes to see Sirius holding a pillow that she presumed James threw at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She didn't say anything. Looking concerned, James brought a hand to her forehead. Sirius's mouth dropped. "What are you, her mother?" he asked in disbelief.

James didn't respond and instead put a finger under Lily's chin to bring her face up to look at him. "What's wrong, Lils?"

"It's nothing really," she said. "It's just that Petunia and Vernon are staying at my parents' house." She paused, looking into his hazel eyes for a brief moment. Quietly she added, "until the end of January."

James brought her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head. "Aw, Lily, that's too bad," he said kindly.

"Yeah, Lily," Remus added. The Marauders knew all about Petunia and Vernon. "I'm sorry."

"Is there anywhere else you can go?" Sirius asked. He knew all about dysfunctional families and knew what it felt like to be hated.

Lily shook her head. "The only thing I could think of would be to stay here." Lily didn't miss the look of nervousness that passed between Sirius and Remus. Peter continued to look at Lily sympathetically.

"Why don't you go with her, Prongsie?" Sirius suggested quickly. He looked at Lily for a moment and she knew that he knew she saw the look between him and Remus. "I mean, don't your parents want to meet him anyway, Lily?" he asked.

"And besides, it'll just be boring here," Remus added nervously.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, the kids around here during Christmas break are awful, Lily. They act just like animals!"

Lily looked at him questioningly. James had said the exact same thing to her the last time she had mentioned possibly staying over holiday break. Remus kicked Sirius's shin and the black haired boy bit back a howl of pain. She looked at Remus and frowned. He was glaring at Sirius.

James turned and Lily couldn't see his face, but she could see Sirius's, as well as Remus's. They nodded and Remus whispered, "we'll be alright."

He turned back around and gave Lily a small smile. "If you want me to come with you, I'll go," he said. "It'll give you something to take your mind off Petunia."

"Okay," Lily whispered. "I'll tell my parents. They're dying to meet you."

Sirius stood and patted James on the back. "Aw! Our Prongsie's meeting the parents!"

"Shut up, Pads!" James shouted, connecting his fist with Sirius's stomach. The boy coughed a couple times before ruffling James's hair.

Then, he turned to Peter. "Come on, Pete. Let's go and get that dungbomb ready for Moony. I can't wait to see this!" He led Peter up the stairs, Remus following with his book to give the two some space.

"Are you sure?" James asked. "Like I said the other day, my being there's just going to make them mad."

Lily nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Well, Petunia _is_ my sister, but I would just love to see Vernon's face boiling red when he sees you walk through the door!" She smirked. "I can picture it already. His face bright red with steam hissing from his ears…I think I'll tell my parents to make it a surprise and not tell them you're coming!"

James chucked and kissed her lightly. "You are cruel, Lily Evans!" he joked. "But I can't wait either. From what you say, I can't wait to have fun with this whale!"

She giggled. "Me too, this could be fun! They're always making my life miserable; why not play around with them?"

"Atta girl!" James said, leaning into the couch and resting his arm on her shoulders. "I can turn you into an honorary Marauder over break!"

Lily leaned into him and looked up at him. "Honorary Marauder?" she asked. "Why would I want to do that?"

He faked insult and turned his head away from her. "I'm hurt, Lily. How can you not like the Marauders? We're only the most awesome and handsome students in school?" He turned to her with a grin. "So, you would fit in nicely."

She smiled. "Thank you, but I think I'll stick to being a Marauder's girlfriend for now." She thought for a moment and then chuckled. "The last thing McGonagall needs is two pranking Heads instead of just one."

He threw his head back and laughed, imagining McGonagall's face if Lily had done a prank. "She'd be mortified!" James burst out, still laughing. "Yes, I suppose for McGonagall's sake, you'll just have to stay a Marauder's girlfriend for now."

"I think I can do that," she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

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	13. Part I: Love

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! **

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Part I: Love

The first snowfall of the year occurred the night before the first Hogsmeade weekend. A light dusting of white flakes covered the Hogwarts grounds. Looking out the window at the peaceful and serene grounds, it was hard to believe that there was an evil wizard running around collecting followers. The deranged man seemed to be all the _Daily Prophet_ could talk about, but many Gryffindors had already made up their minds about him.

"If you ask me," Sirius said as the snow fell to the ground outside. The group of seventh years was sitting around the fireplace. "If this guy's anything like my parents and my bloody family that's following him, he's a complete nutcase. Besides, he's afraid of Dumbledore! How much harm can he do?"

"Apparently, a great deal," Remus replied, holding up that morning's paper. On the front was a picture of a village that had been decimated. "Nutcase or not, he knows what he's doing. He's starting to kill people now, not just put them under the Imperius Curse to get into the Ministry."

Sirius shrugged. "So, we'll take him out. It's like the Slytherins versus everyone else," he said, throwing a quill into the fire. Peter squeaked in approval.

Lily didn't know what to think. Voldemort, as he was calling himself, had declared revolution against the Ministry of Magic in her first years at Hogwarts. At first, it didn't seem as if he was going to succeed, but now the numbers of his followers, Death Eaters as they were called, were increasing. The number of attacks was multiplying by the week. It was only now that the students of Hogwarts realized how terrible the situation was becoming. Michelle, who was seated beside Sirius, and Ivy, who was beside her, began talking with Remus and Sirius about the possibilities of Voldemort reaching Hogwarts.

Sirius placed his arms around Michelle's shoulders and her eyes widened slightly, making Lily smile from her place across the room. Michelle still had it bad for Sirius. "Don't worry," he said delicately. "We've got Dumbledore; he won't show his face around here anytime soon."

Lily looked up at James. He hadn't spoken and was looking pensively into the fireplace. She touched his arms, but he continued to stare absently into the cackling flames. She glanced back to her friends and saw Sirius had noticed James's quiet behavior as well.

"What's the matter, Prongs?" he asked quietly.

It almost seemed that James wasn't going to answer, but after a long pause he looked up at the group. "I'm just trying to remember something," he said, shaking his head. "Do you remember, Padfoot, when Dumbledore came by the house two summers ago?"

Sirius nodded. "What's that got to do with Voldy's run for Minister?" he said, joking around with the situation at hand. Remus rolled his eyes and shoved the boy's arm.

"They said something about an Order. Remember?" James asked. Sirius nodded and James looked around the room. "Anybody know what that could be? Dumbledore wanted my parents to join it, whatever it was." No one had a clue and James continued to stare into the fireplace. Lily sighed, patting his knee gently.

The room became silent and Lily looked up. All the noise of the older students playing chess and the younger students looking excitedly out the window had ceased. Lily turned and followed their gazes. Cecily was standing in the doorway, looking at the group with scorn. She glared at the three girls sitting with the Marauders before huffing past them, storming up the stairs.

"What's her deal?" Sirius sneered.

Lily, Michelle, and Ivy opened their mouths to answer, but they were cut off. "It's just the way she is," James replied.

All three girls looked curiously at James. He looked away from the fire and gave them a small smirk. "She's always thought she was better than everyone else," he said. "Her parents raised her on a pedestal."

"How do you know?" Ivy asked curiously. "She was never that way around us."

He shrugged. "Her grandparents were friends with my parents or something like that." He shook his head. "We were all spoiled rotten, but Cecily made sure everyone knew who she was. She always had to have everything first, everything her way, and if it didn't she got bent out of bloody shape and started screaming."

Lily looked at the stairs that Cecily had stormed up. She had a feeling that there was more to the story than James was letting out. She wanted to know and thought it might give her a hint as to why she hated the Marauders. Going up at that moment would have been a terrible idea as Cecily's mood was dangerous. The three girls looked at each other, each realizing they would have to stay in the common room until she calmed down.

"So, what are we doing tomorrow in Hogsmeade," Sirius asked, not realizing his arm was still draped over Michelle's shoulders.

Ivy's eyes lit up. "Oh, can you imagine how cute it will look! All snow covered and all!" she squealed happily. There were various chuckles at her outburst, but Ivy smiled dreamily, not taking in any of their comments. She was off in her own world, imagining Hogsmeade covered in snow.

"Well, I was hoping to stop at Honeydukes," Michelle said. Lily nodded.

After agreeing, Sirius turned to face James and Lily. "Are you two going off by yourselves then?" he asked.

Lily looked up at James and giggled. He had his eyebrows raised in wonderment. "This is our first real date, Padfoot!" he exclaimed. "We don't want you lot hanging around."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't want an invasion of privacy, now would we? It's not like you guys don't ever have a time to be alone. You patrol together by yourselves, and then you got that fancy common room, which you don't seem to use." He smirked. "If I were you, I would be in there every day, but apparently you enjoy our company too much to use it. And now you're telling us you want to be alone."

James rolled his eyes and Remus patted Sirius's shoulder once before standing. "You can count me out of your little group as well, Padfoot," he said with a yawn. "I don't think I'm going into Hogsmeade this time."

"Oh, Remus, why not?" Michelle asked.

He smiled at her. "I'm not feeling too well, is all," he responded, tipping his head to his friends and walking out of the room with a quick goodnight.

Remus had been awfully pale, Lily thought while watching his retreating form. He had purple bags forming under his eyes that looked like horrible bruises and had been tired for the past few days. Remus, Lily had deduced, was a very sickly person. The only part that didn't quite fit was his body. He wasn't the frail boy she'd think he'd be for getting sick every few weeks.

"So, I guess that leaves me, you, Pete, and dreamy over there," Sirius told Michelle, nodding his head to Peter and Ivy, who had shaken out of her trance.

"Pads, honestly," James groaned. "If we must, we'll start out with you."

He shook his head. "No, don't do anything on my account!" he said looking away from James in mock anger. Then he turned to James with a smile. "You should know by now, Prongsie, I'm only kidding! You and your little Lily-flower go have a fantastic time," he said with a smile. "Michelle and I will head up the single Marauders group!"

James looked at Lily and mouthed _watch this_. She stared at him in confusion until he turned away from her to Sirius. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day that Sirius Black wasn't dating anyone," he said slyly.

Sirius, who had turned to talk to Michelle, looked up at him. His nostrils flared and Lily could have sworn she saw him twitch. "Prongs, don't you dare!" he hissed.

James looked back at Lily before smiling at his friend. "I was just thinking, Padfoot, it's been a while. How long?" he asked. Sirius didn't respond. Instead he glared at James, who continued speaking. "April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Wow, that's eight months! Impressive. There must be someone special that you're _nervous_ about."

Sirius stood immediately, giving James death glares. "That's it, I'm off to bed." He turned to Michelle on the couch. "I'll meet you here tomorrow morning," he told her before casting another glare at James. Peter stood, scurrying off after Sirius.

Watching Sirius go up the stairs, James smiled. He stood and kissed Lily's forehead. "I better go up before he decides to jinx my bed," he said with a grin. He turned and nodded to Michelle and Ivy. "Girls," he said, acknowledging them before running across the room and up the stairs.

"What was that all about?" Ivy asked once James had disappeared.

Michelle looked down. "Didn't you hear? Sirius has found himself a girl," she sighed, leaning against the couch solemnly.

Lily watched her friend, not knowing what to say. She knew, as James had told her on one of their patrols, Sirius liked Michelle, but she didn't think it was her place to tell her friend. James had told her in complete confidence that she wouldn't say anything, and it wasn't for her to say anything. James was doing his best to push his friend, as the scene had shown. Lily knew that Sirius would tell Michelle when he was ready.

"He loves her, he really does," James had said. "But, I think he's scared. He's hurt so many girls in the past; he doesn't want to do the same to her. Plus, he's not a big commitment guy, so it'll take some getting used to on his part."

It took all Lily's strength to keep her mouth shut, but luckily Ivy rescued her from saying anything. "Oh, come on, Michy!" she exclaimed. "If he's got an eye for anyone, it's you."

Michelle shook her head and stood. "Maybe it would be in my best interest to forget about him."

"I wouldn't do that just yet," Lily said quietly as her friend passed. She noticed Michelle hesitantly pause momentarily before continuing on her way to the stairs. A smile spread across her cheeks, knowing Michelle had heard her.

Lily turned to Ivy, who had turned her attention to the cackling fireplace. "So, how's that boyfriend of yours?" Lily asked. She hadn't talked to Ivy alone in a long time. Ivy smiled, her eyes watching the flames.

"Chris? He's wonderful!" she stated happily. "I just received an owl from him today in fact. I'll be able to see him over Christmas break."

"That's wonderful, Ivy," Lily replied, thinking about her own upcoming Christmas break. Her parents had written back to her a few days prior telling her they would be pleased to have James over. Her father even added his own note at the bottom.

Telling Ivy she was going to bed, she stood and walked up the stairs. When she arrived at the door to her dorm, she pushed it open slowly and entered. The bathroom door was shut, white light escaping from under it. Cecily's curtains were drawn around her bed. Lily approached her bedside table and held the letter in her hands. She skimmed through her mother's neat script. Finally, her eyes rested on the unique handwriting.

_Lils, I think this will be a fantastic holiday for all of us. I can tell from what you say that your James won't let Vernon go on about anything. It'll be nice to have someone tell him off. Your mother's told me I'm not allowed to anymore. I've convinced her to keep his arrival a secret because I agree that the looks on their faces will be priceless. Don't get me wrong, I love your sister, but it's time someone wiped that smug I'm-better-than-you grin off her face. It's not your fault she couldn't go to Hogwarts._

_I can't wait to see you, Lily-pad. Behave these last few weeks – not that you wouldn't, my darling. And, as your mother said, we can't wait to meet the boy who's stolen your precious heart. He's already better than the Dursley boy and I haven't even met him. I shouldn't say that about your sister's husband, but I can't help it. You understand, Lils._

_I love you, Lily – Dad_

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	14. Part I: Hogsmeade

**Hello! Thanks for the reviews! I think this is my longest chapter yet!**

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Part I: Hogsmeade

Lily and James walked down to the courtyard where McGonagall were checking the paperwork of the new third years. Sirius, Michelle, Peter, and Ivy followed behind them. The six seventh years smiled at their Head of House before making their way down to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. Sirius rolled his eyes at the young students, impatiently waiting in line and glaring as the older students walked by.

"I am so happy we don't have to do that again," he said as they approached a carriage. He opened the door and allowed Michelle to enter but when Peter tried getting inside he rudely stepped in front. "Hold your own door, Wormy!"

James rolled his eyes and held the door open for the others before stepping inside himself. The carriage descended down the hill and into Hogsmeade Village, dropping them off at the gate. They let a rush of fourth years pass them and entered the little town. James fingered Lily's palm as they walked by a group of sixth year Hufflepuffs. Lily didn't mind, she like the tingles that soared through her arm and into the rest of her body.

Ivy had been right, a snow covered Hogsmeade was a cute one. Ivy was hurriedly taking pictures with her camera for Chris and her family. They always enjoyed seeing where Ivy went to school. Lily herself took pictures for her parents when she was younger, but now her stories were more entertaining for them.

They hadn't walked far when they approached Madam Rosemerta, the landlady of the Three Broomsticks pub. She was sweeping the mat in front of the door to her pub and waved to James and Sirius, giving them a small wink as they passed. "I'll be seeing you today, right, boys?"

Sirius smiled at the older woman and James gave a polite head nod. "We were going to end the day with a Butterbeer," Sirius told her. They bid their goodbyes and continued down the strip of shops. Sirius and Michelle were bickering about where to go, Zonko's Joke Shop or Honeydukes Sweetshop. Ivy continued to take her pictures and Peter walked in Sirius's footsteps he left in the snow.

"But Zonko's is on the way to Honeydukes!" Sirius complained. "I can see it from here!"

"Do you need anything from Zonko's? I'm pretty sure between the four of you, the Marauders have bought out the entire shop," Michelle stated. "Besides, you love Honeydukes. You said so yourself in the carriage!"

"I –" Sirius started, but his head turned. He followed something in the distance with his eyes before they lit up in excitement. "Oh! Minnie!" he yelled. "What's she doing here? And, I think that's a guy with her going into Madam Puddifoot's – is she on a date?"

The heads of his friends searched for McGonagall and could see her walking into the tea shop known for its couples. Sirius grabbed Michelle's hand, a determined look on his face. "Come on," he urged, pulling her toward the shop and beginning to run. "We have to see who's with her!"

"Sirius!" Michelle yelled as he pulled her through the snow.

Ivy turned to Peter, who was watching Sirius's retreating form as they disappeared among the students. "Don't worry, Peter," she said with a small smile. "You can hang out with me."

Peter looked as if he didn't know if that was a good thing, but she walked off her camera in hand and he was forced to follow her. As they also disappeared, James turned to Lily. "Well, now that they're gone, where would you like to go?"

"Let's just take a walk," Lily told him.

He smiled. "Alright."

They walked down the road in comfortable silence for a moment. Every once and a while someone would shout out to them, this is how Lily learned James was on first name basis with the owner of Zonko's. They were nearly out of the village when James turned to her.

"Do you ever think about the future?" he asked quietly. He sat down on a rock and Lily sat beside him. She looked up into his hazel eyes. They were serious and watching her intently. She wondered what he could be getting at, but answered him honestly.

"All the time," she said, thinking about her plans. They had changed completely from the plans she had brought to Hogwarts with her. Now they included James and the Marauders. But she knew that they had become extremely dangerous with the four boys involved. She left a considerable gray area compared to her old plans, not everything was planned out perfectly.

She knew it was because she was afraid of her heart breaking if anything happened. She had decided early on that she was going to simply enjoy the time she had with James, just in case it didn't work out. That didn't mean she didn't dream, but dreaming was different. She had no control over her dreams and had woken up on many mornings after a good night's rest thinking of a knight in shining armor that just so happened to have unruly black hair and bespectacled hazel eyes.

James nodded, bringing her back from her thoughts. "I never used to," he admitted. "But, when my parents died, that's all I could think about. I began to wonder if I'd ever grow up enough to enter the real world."

He turned his head slightly and his eyes followed a group of third year Gryffindors. They were running around, throwing snowballs at each other and laughing heartily. He laughed quietly before turning back to Lily. "My dad used to tell me and Sirius that we were the most immature kids he had ever met, and we thought that was the greatest compliment. But I'm an adult now with a little over six months until graduation. I don't know if I'm ready."

"You're ready," was all Lily said in response. She smiled at him. "You're not the same as you were a year ago, or even six months ago. You're still James, still a little immature at times but then again who isn't. And besides, that's what makes you James Potter. I wouldn't have you any other way."

James smiled before standing and holding his hand out to her. They walked around the grounds and continued down the streets of Hogsmeade. The number of students in the streets was beginning to wane, many decided to go into the Three Broomsticks around this time to warm themselves up. Lily enjoyed the quiet stroll down the usually busy street.

"James Potter!" a voice yelled behind them. "That wouldn't be my little chaser would it? All grown up?"

Lily looked up at James to see if the voice had meant anything to him and saw his face break out in a grin. He turned and his smile only grew. "Atticus Wood!" he yelled excitedly. He and Lily began to walk toward him, stopping in front of him. "I haven't seen you since you graduated. What have you been up to?"

Lily knew who Atticus was, while she had never talked to him before. He had been captain of the Quidditch team during her first years at Hogwarts and had been James's role model. He was a tall, burly man with short brown hair and endearing smile. Thinking back, she remembered that James had followed him around, much like Peter followed Sirius, with wide-eyed fascination.

Atticus shrugged with a smile. "Ah, not much," he said. "Got married a few years back and got a little boy now. His name's Oliver."

"Wow," James said shaking his head. "Time flies."

"You're telling me!" Atticus exclaimed, pulling James forward. "I hear you're the captain now! The last time I saw you were like four feet tall and a little wise guy, and now look at you."

James raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm not a wise guy anymore?" he asked slyly. Atticus laughed and James looked to Lily. "Att, this is Lily Evans, my girlfriend."

Atticus looked at her, nodding. "Gryffindor, right?" he asked, as if he remembered her face. Lily nodded, surprised he remembered her at all. "I hope you've tamed him a little," he said, pointing his thumb at his former teammate. "I didn't think Hogwarts could take seven years of this kid."

"I try," Lily said, giving James a sideways glanced. "But, it's quite hard," she joked.

Laughing quietly to himself, Atticus shook his head. He looked up at James with a smile. "I should probably get going and let you get back to your date," he said. "It was great to see you, James."

"You too, Att," he said, shaking hands with the man.

They smiled at each other and Atticus walked off, but he turned around suddenly. "Try not to get into too much trouble," he said with a wink. James laughed. "Did you beat Slytherin this year? You better have!"

"Yes, Sir!" James told him, putting his hand to his forehead in a salute. Atticus smiled proudly, telling him good luck with the rest of the season, before departing.

James shook his head as he and Lily began to walk. "I can't believe it. He's married with a kid. Wow." Lily just smiled as James continued down the road in awe. She knew it was weird for him to see someone he had known a few years prior come back married with a son. She tried to picture what her reaction would be, but she couldn't imagine it.

They walked into the Three Broomsticks, which was overflowing with Hogwarts students. When they entered they spotted Sirius and Michelle sitting at a table in the back. Each had a Butterbeer in front of them that didn't seem to be touched. They were talking quietly to each other. Lily didn't want to disturb them, but James had already begun to walk toward them with a childish grin on his face.

They approached and slid into the seats beside Sirius, James in between him and Lily. "Hey," James said wrapping his arm around Sirius's shoulder with a sly smirk. "Hogsmeade wasn't so bad without us, was it?"

"I'll agree, Prongs, it was much _better_ without you," Sirius hissed.

"And this coming from the guy who didn't want us to leave him," James joked with a laugh. Lily had a feeling he was laughing at the look on Sirius's face more than his comment. Sirius looked as if he was ready to tear James apart with his teeth for interrupting his moment with Michelle.

Lily looked across the table at her friend. Michelle glanced at her with a smile that told her she had a good time. She noticed that Ivy and Peter were nowhere to be seen. She asked if either of them had heard from the two, but they shook their heads.

"No, we spent most of the day in here," Michelle said, looking up at Sirius with a playful glare. "We followed McGonagall around for a good hour though."

James turned quickly to Sirius. "So, is she on a date or what?"

Sirius sighed. "Unless you count her and Sluggy meeting the Minister and his wife at Madam Puddifoot's and leading them up to Hogwarts as a date, than no," he grumbled, clearly depressed by this. "I always wondered what Minnie's men would look like, but alas that's a lesson for another day."

"Oh, Pads," James chuckled, shaking his head. "You sound like you're stalking her."

He shook his head. "No, Prongsie, merely curious about her life. She can't be her strict self twenty-four seven," he explained. "And I want to be there to witness her letting loose."

"Good luck with that," James told him with a smile.

Michelle nodded. "That's what I said," she added rolling her eyes. But she looked up at Sirius and smiled. He glanced down and a grin lit up his face as well.

"Have you two thought about going back up to the castle?" Lily asked.

They looked to each other and Sirius shook his head. "If you guys are ready to go, we'll stay here and wait for Pete and Ivy," he said.

James looked to Lily and she could see that he wanted to go back to the castle. She nodded in response. "Okay, we'll see you guys later," he said. They left the pub and walked to the carriages, laughing about the look on Sirius's face when they had arrived. James told Lily it was all part of his plan to get him to go a little quicker in asking out Michelle. Lily agreed they both needed a little pushing.

"It's only a few weeks until we get to torment Vernon and Petunia," Lily said as they rode up to Hogwarts in a carriage.

James grinned. "This will be fun," he said, his eyes lighting up as they did when he talked about pranks. Lily loved seeing the sparkle that his eyes had which emphasized the gold ring around his pupil. "I've never pranked a muggle before!"

"Obviously," Lily said. "When would you be around muggles?"

James smiled. "I've met muggles before, Lily, two muggle aurors." Lily didn't have the heart to tell him that they were called policemen and allowed him to continue his story. "We got caught speeding on Padfoot's motorbike and then we saved them from some nasty Death Eaters. Needless to say, they were quite shocked."

Lily looked at James in amazement, partial because of the story and partial because of his run in with Death Eaters. What if they had been hurt? He noticed her worried expression and hurriedly said, "It's alright, Lily, everyone came out alright."

She nodded and James led her out of the carriage. Not wanting to go to the bustling Gryffindor common room, they went to their own. When they arrived, Beulah was skipping in her little pink dress for entertainment. She noticed them quickly and stopped, smiling at the two.

"Lily! James!" she shouted happily with her six-year-old's lisp. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"We're happy to see you too, Beulah," James told her kindly. "Could we get inside?"

The little girl smiled. "Of course, but remember you need to give the password!"

James pretended to be shocked and shook his head at Lily. "How could I forget?" he asked good-naturedly. He turned to Beulah and rubbed his chin. "Now, what was is it? Was it…James?"

Beulah giggled. "No, silly! Try again!"

"Hmm…" Lily giggled as well watching while James entertained Beulah. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then hit his forehead in pretend remembrance. "Of course, how could I forget? It's daffodil."

"Correct!" Beulah exclaimed. She opened the door. "Have fun," she called out as they entered.

They sat down on the couch and watched the fire for a moment. Lily turned, looking at James with a smile. She could picture him with kids, running around with a little boy on a toy broomstick. She knew from his demeanor with the younger kids, and their own portrait Beulah, that he would make a great father someday. And secretly, she hoped nothing would happen between them and his children would be hers.

"What?" James asked, noticing her stare.

She shook her head. "I was just thinking about how good you are with kids."

He chuckled for a moment and turned to the fireplace. Lily could see him frown, but he covered it up with a small grin that Lily knew was at least partially fake. "Maybe," he said softly. "It's because I'm still a kid myself." Then he turned to Lily and changed the subject. "So, this Vernon character, is he really as big as a whale, or is that a gross exaggeration?"

Lily laughed, forgetting about the previous conversation. "Yes, James, he is. You're going to have fun with him!"

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**So, what do you think?**

**Review!**


	15. Part I: Wars

**Hey guys, thanks for the awesome reviews! They were amazing. Keep it up!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Wars

The first three weeks of December were almost painful for Lily. The seventh years had to study for their end of first term exams and, with head duties, that left Lily no time for anything else. The friends would study together, but it wasn't the same as hanging out. The only time that Lily and James could spend together was during their patrols.

So, when the final exam finished, all the seventh years let out a sigh. The following day nearly all the students would head home for the break, spending three weeks with their families before returning to school once more. Lily couldn't wait to go home. The Great Hall was decorated for the occasion, with twelve large Christmas trees and snow falling from the ceiling. The Gryffindors were crowded around the table in their groups, speaking about what their holidays would bring.

"I wouldn't be surprised if my parents sent me a howler for Christmas, if anything at all," Sirius said, not seeming at all depressed by the fact that his parents didn't care about him. "Although, Reggie will get whatever he wants," he mumbled, shooting a glare at the Slytherin table.

Lily followed his gaze to a small boy who looked remarkably like Sirius. But, there were distinct differences. His hair was shorter and neater than Sirius's and his eyes were a more foreboding shade of gray. Lily remembered when Regulus had been sorted; Sirius had been hoping he might go against their parents' wishes because the younger Black loved his older brother dearly. But when the sorting had ultimately left him in Slytherin, Sirius was less than thrilled and gave his brother the same treatment, if not worse, as the others in his house.

The boys picked up the conversation once again, teasing Peter about what he might get, and Lily noticed Ivy staring solemnly down the table. "What's wrong, Ivy?" she asked.

The girl looked away and to her friend. "Cecily just looks so lonely," she said. "Shouldn't we invite her to sit with us? I mean, it is Christmas after all."

"No, she's done this to herself," Michelle said from her seat beside Sirius. "Honestly, all she ever does anymore is glare at us. She doesn't even speak to us in the dorm!"

"I second that," Sirius said, aiming a smirk at Ivy. "She's a spoiled brat, just like Prongs said."

Lily looked from Sirius and Michelle to Ivy and then up to James. She didn't know what to do. Like Ivy said, it was Christmas and she shouldn't have to sit all alone, but Michelle was right too, she did it to herself.

James stood and took a deep breath. "I'll go talk to her, see if she can be civil."

Lily watched him walk down the table and sit beside her. She tried to push him away, rolling her eyes, but he kept bugging her. She spun around so she wasn't facing him any longer. Lily couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could tell it was affecting Cecily. Finally he said something that made her turn to him and glare. While Lily couldn't hear, she could read the girl's lips. "Leave me alone, James Potter," she hissed before standing and nearly running out of the room.

When he sat back down at his spot with his friends, he glanced at Ivy. "I tried," he said quietly. "But, there's no use trying to get through to her anymore. Trust me. She's already gone."

Lily placed her hand on James's. She didn't know much about what had happened between the two except that they had been friends many years before. Lily knew that it had happened before first year, whatever it was that destroyed their friendship, as Cecily had been overjoyed to hear Lily hated James and his friends just as much as she did in their first year. It had been the beginning grounds of their friendship.

"See, Ivy," Michelle said. "She doesn't even want to sit with us anymore."

Ivy nodded her head. "I suppose you're right," she sighed, looking down at her plate.

Lily felt the tension wrap around them. Ivy hated losing people, but Michelle was making it known that Cecily was no longer a member of the group. Lily quietly watched, knowing not to interfere. It would resolve itself eventually.

As the feast came to a close, Lily knew she needed to escape. All her things were packed and she needed to go somewhere she could be alone, where she could think about what was happening to her friends. There was a war beginning outside Hogwarts' well protected walls, but to Lily there was a different war in full swing inside the castle.

She excused herself from the group as they walked out of the Great Hall. James wanted to come with her and Lily would have enjoyed his company and thoughts on her problems, but he had barely begun to pack. She kissed him softly and told that he could come down to the Head's common room when, and only when, he was done packing.

She walked down the familiar hallways and jumped in the air when she noticed another figure standing beside the portrait of Beulah. The hood of the figure's robe was over his head so Lily couldn't see his face and afraid that it was Severus following her, she pulled out her wand. As she was about to hex the boy, she noticed the Gryffindor lion emblazoned on his chest and the prefect's P on the other side. She sighed in relief as he pulled his hood from his head and revealed the kind face of Remus Lupin.

"Remus," she hissed. "You scared me!"

He nodded, understanding that she hadn't known who he was, and walked toward her. "You were quiet tonight at dinner," he said with concern. "James is worried."

"Did he send you?" Lily asked.

Remus shook his head. "No," he told her, his amber eyes looking down at her. "I can see through him and Sirius just as they can see through me. He's worried about you, it's obvious. So, what's wrong?"

She nodded to Beulah, who was happily picking dandelions in her portrait. "Would you like to come inside?" she asked.

The two walked forward and Lily told Beulah the password. She smiled at Lily and began to tell her all about Remus, who she had become friends with while he was waiting for the Head Girl. Lily laughed, already knowing who Remus was, but smiled nonetheless at Beulah's excitement over the Gryffindor Prefect. The portrait opened and Lily led Remus inside. They sat down on the couch when Lily looked at Remus in surprise.

"How did you get here so fast?" she asked suspiciously, seeing a bit of parchment sticking out of his robe pocket. "You couldn't have told all that to Beulah in the amount of time it took me to get here if you came the same way."

Remus smirked and gently pushed the parchment into his robes. "It's a secret I am not permitted to tell, Lily," he told her. "You'll find out sooner or later."

Lily looked away, still wondering about Remus's speedy arrival, but she knew it was just one of the Marauders' secrets that only the four boys could know about. She let it drop and looking into the fireplace.

"So, Lily, are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to guess?" Remus asked.

Lily turned to him. He was still her best friend among the three Marauders that weren't James and she was more comfortable around him than around the others. At the moment, she was more comfortable around him than her own friends, which was why she invited him in. She looked up at him. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a war," she told him. "And not the war against Voldemort."

He nodded. "The war of the Gryffindor girls," he said knowingly. "I think we all feel as if we're a part of it."

"Do you know anything about James and Cecily?" she asked, not looking at him. "I think that it I found that out, then I'd be able to find out what the root cause of this war is."

Remus shook his head. "No, I don't," he told her truthfully. "Sirius has been trying to get it out of James since he let it slip about Cecily being like this as a child, but he's not saying much. Have you talked to him about it?"

She looked up at her friend. She hadn't talked to James about it. She'd tried, but it had been in vain as he would change the subject. It was obviously a tough topic for him and he had only told her one thing more than what everyone else knew. "All he said was that something happened," she said. "I don't know more than that."

Remus leaned back into the couch. "Well, it must have been something bad. I know you can't forget about it, but maybe it would be for the best if you let it out of your head for a while." Lily raised an eyebrow in confusion, and he continued. "Over break, don't think about it. Just relax with James. You're a good problem solver, Lily, but maybe this isn't your problem to solve."

Lily sighed. "I guess you're right. Maybe things will get better."

"Or at least, more bearable," Remus added. He looked around. "This is a nice place you and James have here."

"Yeah, it is," she said, looking around with him. "I always thought you would be Head Boy though."

Remus shook his head. "Nah, I knew I'd never get it," he said quietly. "Dumbledore would have to be insane. He's already done so much for me."

Lily was about to question him when he stood. He smiled at her, almost as if he was glad that he had stopped her question. "Well, I better go, I have patrol tonight," he said. She stood and walked him to the portrait. He turned to her before departing. "Just remember what I said," he told her. "You have a lifetime to solve problems. You're going to be an auror, there will be plenty of problems for you to solve in the future."

He walked away and Lily turned to enter when something caught her eye. Severus was standing at the end of the hallway, his pitch black eyes following Remus's form as he walked down the hallway. Lily shook her head and attempted to get inside before he saw her.

"What were you doing with Lupin?"

She groaned and turned, glaring at him. "I don't believe that concerns you," she told him. "Now I suggest you leave before James arrives. If you do, I won't tell him you've been following me."

Severus snorted. "I'm not afraid of Potter."

"You should be afraid," she told him. "He's a much better wizard than you could ever hope to be."

He nodded, his hair shaking with his head. "So, he has you under his spell now. What happened to him being an _arrogant toerag_, Lily?" he asked.

Lily didn't like the condescending tone he held in his voice. She pulled the portrait to close it, but he yelled to her desperately. She opened it, to look at him one final time.

"Lily," he said pleadingly. "Please, hear me out."

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "You have five seconds," she hissed harshly.

He took a deep breath and looked at her, concern flooding his dark eyes. "Just be careful," he said quietly. "Once we leave Hogwarts, you have to be careful."

"Why?" she asked, her arms loosening slightly.

Severus sighed. "The dark lord is getting stronger. He's getting more and more people under his commands. It's going to be a big war, Lily. He'll have no qualms attacking you, or Potter, or Black, Lupin, D'Aubigne, Burns, Van Buren, all of you!"

At that moment, Lily knew two things. She knew that Severus Snape had joined the Dark Lord's cause. Whether he was a Death Eater or not, she didn't know, but she had a feeling if he wasn't one, he would soon become one. The second thing she knew was that, no matter what words he had called her and no matter how they acted towards one another, there would be a small place for her in his heart.

"Snape! Get away from Lily!" James's voice yelled from down the hallway.

Severus looked up to Lily. "Please," he said as James approached.

"Okay," she whispered, and Severus Snape disappeared before James could reach him.

James watched him go down the hall before looking up to Lily. He walked through the portrait hole and hugged her close to him. "Was he bothering you?"

Lily sighed. "Everything's okay now."

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**Okay, so I know you're all excited for the next chapter, so it should be fun. I don't know when it will be up, as I have school this week and little time to work, but hopefully I can have some time to get it up!**

**And don't forget to review!**


	16. Part I: Arrival

**Alrighty, dear readers, I have neglected by schoolwork to put this up. I just couldn't wait. Here's the introduction into Lily and James's holiday break!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Arrival

Lily took a deep breath as King's Cross Station entered her viewing range and the cherry red engine charged forward. She was excited to go home for the holidays with James. Having a Marauder around would make anyone smile, but she was also nervous. She was bringing James home to her family. It was a big step and what ifs flooded her mind. What if they didn't like him – well, her parents, she didn't care what Petunia and Vernon thought and she was sure they would make their opinions known – or what if he realized she wasn't worth the trouble?

Her heart rate accelerated as the train began to slow.

She looked around her. James had fallen asleep long before and was curled up beside her on the bench seats of the compartment. His hair was as messy as ever and his glasses were slipping off the end of his nose. Lily smiled and patted his knee gently.

Across from her, Ivy was reading a book. By the look of the cover it was a teen romance novel. Lily rolled her eyes at her friend's selection, and looked at Michelle. She was leaning against the wall of the compartment with her feet on the seat, an irritable expression on her face. Her parents were taking her to France for the break where she would have to deal with her stuck-up cousins who attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.

The train trudged slowly into the building and stopped effortlessly. Lily quickly glanced out the window to see the awaiting families. She saw a burst of red toward the back and knew it had to be her father. When she turned back to her friends, Ivy and Michelle were already standing. Lily nudged James carefully.

"James," she said. He blinked his eyes opened slowly and Lily smiled down at him. "It's time to go."

He groaned quietly, causing the three girls to giggle. Michelle walked over and grabbed his glasses off his nose, placing them on her face. "Come on, sleepy head," she said, grabbing her belongings. When he sat up, she tossed his glasses back to him.

They walked off the train and were immediately met with the boisterous, raucous platform. Parents of all shapes and sizes were grabbing hold of their children, many mothers teary-eyed upon seeing their kids for the first time in months. Lily felt James take her hand in his and she looked up at him. "Nervous?" she asked, feeling the jitters in his hands.

He nodded his head. "It's not every day I get to meet the Evans family," he told her while breathing in slowly.

As the four seventh years walked across the platform their parents came into view. Michelle's parents waved, speaking their daughter's name with a light accent. Ivy's parents were in the back close to where Lily thought she had seen her father, standing together and looking around in awe at their surroundings.

"You must write!" Michelle said, pulling Lily into her arms and hugging her tightly. James refused to let go of Lily's hand and was pulled in as well.

"Yes, Lily," Ivy added when she received her own hug after Michelle had departed from the group of friends. "I want at least an owl a week!"

Lily laughed. "Of course," she said, sure there would be enough happening at her home to write her friends a letter a day.

Ivy turned to James. "You behave," she said, hitting his shoulder lightly. "I don't want to hear too much about Vernon exploding or what not." James merely smirked in response.

Ivy scampered off toward her parents and Lily scanned the platform for her father's vibrant hair. She looked around the masses and her eyes landed on Sirius's younger brother. He was being led through the crowd by a tall woman with curly black hair. Lily followed her with her eyes, watching her steps that show she clearly thought she was better than everyone else on the platform. Regulus was called to and he stopped momentarily to wave, but the woman turned, grabbing his wrist and pulling him forward. The woman's dark eyes landed on Lily for a brief second and Lily found herself looking into the hate-filled eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange, formerly Bellatrix Black.

"Come, Regulus, we're surrounded by filth," she said loud enough for Lily to hear from her spot across the platform. Lily found it hard to believe Sirius came from the same gene pool as Bellatrix.

"Lily!"

James's hand dropped hers and Lily looked away from the Blacks to see her father pushing through the crowd. He was a tall, slender man that easily towered over the students and even some of their parents. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that looked mildly out of place on the platform full of wizards. His blue eyes were focused on Lily and he gave her a hug upon reaching her. "You're mother is at home making dinner with Petunia and Vernon, although they probably aren't helping much," he told her, letting go and turning to James.

She looked up at James, who looked more nervous than Lily had ever seen him. He offered a small, shy grin, and nodded his head to her father. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Evans," he said, his voice shaking slightly.

Her father's booming laughter filled the platform and he clapped James on the shoulder. "Oh, boy, you flatter me," he said, his blue eyes lighting up. "But, no need for the formalities, unless you want me calling you Mr. Potter."

James chuckled and her father's smile spread further over his features. "There we go," he said cheerfully, shaking James's shoulder gently. "No need to be nervous, I'm not your worst nightmare. That is, unless you turn out to be like Vernon Dursley, then you ought to be scared. I'm sure Lils has told you all about that character!"

"Dad," Lily interjected. "James knows all about Vernon."

"Well, good," he said, winking at James. "Then we're all on equal grounds."

It was no secret that Logan Evans did not like Vernon Dursley, just as it was not surprising that Vernon's dislike of Mr. Evans was very apparent. Unlike his wife, who tried to accept her daughter's husband, Lily's father did not try to hide his distain of the boy. Lily often heard her mother telling her father to be nicer to the boy who had married his daughter, but her father would shake his head.

Lily knew her father was a man out of his time. He believed it wasn't his place to tell his daughter who she could marry, but he did have strong opinions that he made known frequently. In some ways, Lily thought it was in fear of losing his older daughter that he believed this, not wanting to deny her another thing she wanted yet could not have.

"Now, I'll take these and we'll be off," her father said, leaning over to grab both trunks that were on the ground. James tried to stop him, saying he could take them himself and the redheaded man raised his eyebrow at the boy. "James, I'm not weak. I can handle a few trunks," he said slowly.

James bit his lip to hold back a complaint and Lily patted his arm. "Just let him take them," Lily told him, shaking her head at her father's stubbornness. "He likes doing things himself."

The two followed Mr. Evans out of the station and to the Evans' small car. Lily looked up at James. "Have you ever driven in a car before?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Is it like a motorcycle?"

Lily chuckled, opening the door for him. He sat inside in awe of his surroundings and Lily looked at her father. He had a smile on his face watching James look around. "It's like a little room," James said, running his hand over the seats. "A cross between a motorcycle and the Hogwarts Express compartments."

"I guess you could say that," Lily said. It was the first time she had ever heard anyone describe the inside of a car to someone. Even in muggle studies, they had seen pictures and hadn't had to explain it to her friends. She figured James would make her parents laugh with his lack of knowledge of muggle items.

"So, James, Lily tells me you're quite the athlete," her father said as they began the drive to the Evans' home. "What is it that you play? It's on a broom, right?"

James nodded. "Yes. It's called quidditch," he said with a smile. Lily turned her head out the window. Her father had been an athlete himself in his youth and was still connected with the subject. She had a feeling the two would be able to talk about the differences between muggle and wizarding sports for the rest of the car ride.

She rested her head on the window of the car. She was glad that James hadn't had much experience with the muggle world, except for Sirius's motorcycle which she knew must have been jinxed to do something special if it belonged to the boy. James came from money, she knew that, and she knew that James wouldn't think any different of her, but she didn't want him to see how she had lived the past seventeen years of her life. His childhood was the picture of perfection with doting parents and everything he could ever want handed to him on a silver platter. Hers, while it still had the loving parents, was a lot different, and she hadn't thought of that until they had sat in the car.

They traveled on and Lily continued to watch the scenery pass by with the soft conversation of her father and James filling her ears. Her father had begun explaining the game of cricket to James, who was listening enthusiastically with a bright smile. There was brightness in her father's eyes, showing Lily he had taken an immediately liking to James – just as she thought he would.

Lily didn't have to say anything for the rest of the car ride. When they arrived it had begun to drizzle under the gray sky. Her father pulled into the driveway and Lily turned in order to judge James's reaction. He was looking out the window and the surroundings in curiosity.

"It's not much," Lily told him as they stepped out.

James shook his head and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Don't even say that," he said. "It's perfect."

Mr. Evans, with their trunks in hand, led the way to the front door. He put down one of the trunks to open the door. When they stepped inside, he called out to his family. "Elizabeth! Petunia! Vernon!" he yelled, placing the trucks by the stairs. "We're home!"

There was shuffling behind a door that led to the kitchen and Lily awaited her mother's impending arrival. The door pushed open and there was a blur of auburn hair. Her mother was a petite woman who had given Lily her height and figure. An apron covered her sunshine-yellow dress. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Lily," she said. "It's wonderful to have you back."

She let go of Lily and looked at her at arm's length for a moment before turning to James. "So, you must be James Potter." She looked him up and down as if trying to match up her preconceived notions she had made from what Lily had told her. She shook her head, looking back to her daughter. "Really, Lily, you did him no justice. He's far more handsome than you told us."

Lily felt her cheeks heat up and James mockingly glared at her. "Really, Lils, I'm not handsome?"

She rolled her eyes, her cheeks no longer red as she grabbed his Gryffindor tie. "You can be quiet," she hissed, kidding with him. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. Suddenly a shriek echoed through the hallway. Lily looked away from James and a smirk spread over her face.

Petunia's jaw had dropped nearly to the floor. The elder Evans sister had inherited their father's height and was therefore rather long and lanky for most of her childhood and into her adult life. She had short blond hair that always made her appear out of place when with her parents and sister, an abnormally long neck, and very angular features. Her dark eyes held loathing and were focused on James.

Lily felt James chuckle and moved her line of vision to her brother-in-law. The man was standing beside Petunia. With a bushy, black mustache and neatly combed black hair, he was a beefy man, shorter than his wife. Instead of looking at James in curiosity, he was glaring at the boy though his watery dull eyes.

"What is _that_?" Petunia demanded, pointing at James.

Lily smirked. "This is James Potter, my boyfriend. He's staying with us over break. Surprise!"

Vernon's face became a shade of violet while Petunia's eyes widened. She quickly turned to her mother. "Is she serious?"

Mrs. Evans nodded, missing the distain in her daughter's voice and took James by the hand. "Here, dear, come on in and out of that doorway. We can talk more over dinner. It's all set!"

Lily shared a look with her father before he followed her mother and James. Lily walked up to her sister and shrugged. "You're going to love him," she said, patting Petunia's shoulder in fake affection.

Vernon glared at her as Petunia's nostril's flared in anger. "Is he a freak like you?" he sneered, looking down at her condescendingly.

"Of course he is!" Petunia shrilled, grabbing Lily's shoulders. She shook her lightly and glared. "First it was that Snape boy when we were younger, now him! Freaks don't belong in this house! What are you trying to do?"

Lily turned from her sister and smirked at Vernon. "Yes, he's a wizard," she told him. "And I'd watch out if I were you. He's a good one too."

"Like I would ever be scared of a good-for-nothing magician!" Vernon roared.

She smiled at the two who stared at her in fury before skipping into the kitchen. It was going to be a good holiday.

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**So, you've met Vernon and Petunia and they have been warned….**

**What do you think of the Evans family? I'd love to hear what you think!**

**Review!**


	17. Part I: Dinner

**Thanks for all the reviews! You're all great! Here's another.**

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Part I: Dinner

Lily walked into the kitchen and noticed her parents were beginning to question James. Her father would go to ask a question about the more exciting details of Hogwarts, such as his friends and more about quidditch, just as her mother would open her mouth to talk about his status as Head Boy. James looked confused, not knowing which question to answer and Lily chuckled. He looked adorable with his eyebrows scrunched together and his hazel eyes wandering from Logan to Elizabeth. Lily decided to intervene.

She sat down beside him and raised an eyebrow at her parents. "He can answer better when he has one question at a time," she advised with a smile.

The door to the kitchen opened and she watched her sister enter the room followed by her husband. They sat down in the two seats left at the table, the ones directly across from Lily and James. Vernon sat and glared at James while Lily was the focus of Petunia's look of hatred. Her father eyed the two new arrivals, while her mother looked at James.

"Lily said in her letters that you're Head Boy," she said as the people began to take food and put it on their plates. "You were prefect too, then?"

"No," James said, sending a sideways glance to Lily. "I actually wasn't, so I was quite surprised to get the badge in Owl Post."

Petunia's nostrils flared at the mention of the Owl Post but she remained quiet. Vernon continued to serve himself, placing a mound of mashed potatoes on his plate that could have fed an army. He didn't look up, but Lily could see in his face that he was upset about having two magicians, as he called them, in the house.

"You grew up in the magical world, correct, James?" her father asked, lifting his glass to his lips.

With a nod, James smiled. "Yes, Mr. Ev–" Lily watched her father raise his eyebrow and James caught himself. "Yes, Logan, I did."

Vernon's head lifted quickly and he glared at James. Petunia also glared at him and then she turned to her father in disbelief. Lily smiled and looked into her plate so her mother wouldn't see. They were both angry, she knew, because Vernon was supposed to call her father Mr. Evans. It was an insult to the portly man to have a seventeen year old wizard come in and immediately calling his father-in-law by name when he himself could not.

"So, you come from a long line of freaks," Petunia sneered while gently pushing her food around her plate.

"Petunia, please," Elizabeth groaned, placing her head in her hand. "James is our guest."

Lily watched James turn to her mother with a smile. "It's alright, Mrs. Evans," he said kindly before turning to Petunia. "You're right; I do come from a long line of wizards and witches."

Lily could see from the look on James's face that he had a comeback to Petunia's comment in his head, but refrained for her mother's sake. Vernon scoffed and stuffed a spoonful of his mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"What do your parents do?" he asked once he'd swallowed. He smirked at James before adding, "My father is the director of a firm called Grunnings, they make drills – not that you would know what drills are – and my father is going to pass it down to me when he retires."

Sending a sideways glance to James, she felt her heart stop. Vernon was trying to insult him by going after his parents. She didn't know how he was going to answer and turned her head. She hadn't told her family about James's parents, not that Vernon would know even if she told her parents. She looked at James who remained quiet for a moment. He looked up at Vernon. "My parents are dead," he said slowly. "But when they were alive they worked at the Ministry of Magic – not that you'd know what that is," he added with a fuming smile.

Vernon looked at James with no emotion. Elizabeth began to fuss over James, Logan looked at his plate, but it was Petunia's expression that struck Lily. She cast a sideways glance to the boy out of the corner of her eye. It seemed as if she almost felt remorse for him, but her eyes quickly darkened and fell back to her meal.

For the remainder of the dinner, Vernon and Petunia sat in uncomfortable silence, directing an occasional glare toward Lily and James, while the two engaged in conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Lily watched James's face as Vernon piled serving after serving onto his plate. It changed from inquisitive to disgust as Vernon ate his third roll. She had a feeling James had never seen anyone eat as much as Vernon Dursley, not even Peter Pettigrew or Sirius could compare.

Lily's parents headed to bed, leaving the four downstairs, a few hours after dinner had ended. Petunia and Vernon had decided to stay in the living room, far away from Lily and James who sat in the kitchen with Lily's parents. But, when the two went upstairs, Lily and James shared a fleeting look before standing and walking to the doorway of the room that the Dursleys were in.

"What are you going to do?" Lily asked as James placed his hand on the doorknob.

He cast a quick silencing charm on the room as to not wake her parents. Then he smirked at her. "Something Pads and Moony will be proud of," he stated cryptically.

Twisting the doorknob slowly, he didn't enter the room. Instead, he only opened it a crack and pulled out his wand. He pointed it at Vernon, who was sitting on the couch with his back to James and watching the television. A few words were muttered quietly under his breath and he swished his wand. Vernon's pale skin suddenly took a pink hue. Ears began to sprout on the top of his head that resembled those of a pig. He casually scratched at his new ears, his eyes still glued to the television.

He jumped into the air when he realized he had pig's ears, startling Petunia, who screamed upon seeing his new features. In addition to the ears and skin color, he had a snout. He turned to the doorway, but his voice came out as a high-pitched pig squeal instead of the English language the three others could understand. He barged toward the door and swung it open, revealing James and Lily.

"Change him back!" Petunia hissed, glaring at James. "Turn him back now!"

James shrugged, and played with his wand for a moment. "You know, Petty – you don't mind I call you Petty, right? Good," he said, glaring at Vernon for a moment. "I think this suits him better. Or actually, in fact, I have a better idea!"

James pointed his wand to Vernon and the pig characteristics had disappeared, although the exchange wasn't want Petunia had asked for. Vernon now looked similar to a whale. His arms were flippers and he had a dorsal fin on his back. When he opened his mouth, he let out a deep, groaning whale noise. James winked at Petunia and smiled at Lily. "There, much better!"

Petunia was fuming. Lily could see it in her dark eyes, a fierce loathing. Any hopes that her mother had for her daughters to rekindle their relationship was destroyed in that moment, but Lily didn't feel any remorse over it. Her sister, ever since Lily had received her letter of acceptance, had treated her with so much distain and cruelty, that Lily didn't care anymore.

Her sister looked at her, her eyes demanding Lily to change Vernon back. She stared at her sister for a moment, taking in the ferocious nature radiating through her glare and heavy breathing. Then, Lily did the worst thing she could have done.

She laughed. She laughed an almost cynical laugh.

"I hope you both rot!" Petunia hissed. Her face was livid and red. "Go back to your own world, you don't belong here!"

"Lily has every right you do to be here!" James roared, never liking when someone said anything negative to Lily. She touched his arm to calm him before turning to Petunia herself.

"Once this break is over, you'll never have to see me again," Lily said.

Petunia smiled at the thought. "Good. I don't want to."

Lily pulled out her own wand and changed Vernon back to normal. He attempted to lunge at James, but was thrown back by a jinx the wizard sent his way. Lily grabbed his hand and guided him from the room. Petunia's voice echoed through the room as they left. "Yeah, leave, you freaks!"

They walked up the stairs and entered Lily's room. She shook her head and smiled sympathetically to him. "I'm sorry that I had to bring you into all this," she said, sinking onto her bed. "Petunia and Vernon are complete nightmares. They truly belong together."

James sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ah, they're not that bad." Lily raised her eyebrows at him incredulously. He chuckled. "Okay, so they're that bad, but I'll take care of them. Don't worry, Lils, by the time I'm through with them they won't bother us."

She looked at him in curiosity. "What more do you have up your sleeve?" she asked with a faint smile lighting up her face.

He grinned. "That's for me to know and for you to find out," he told her, resting his forehead on hers. "Believe me, though, when I say this will be a holiday you will never forget."

"It already is," she whispered, staring into his hazel eyes. She found that she loved those eyes. "You're here."

"Well, that could be good or bad," he joked with a smile. "I mean, you did tell your mother I was _ugly_."

She pulled away and hit his cheek playfully with her hand. She was giggling and shaking her head at his face, which was feigning hurt. Rolling her eyes, she felt him gently lift her chin so she was looking at him. He was looking at her with bright eyes, the gold around his pupils standing out. "I dare you to look me in the eye and tell me I'm not handsome," he said competitively.

"You, James Potter, are not handsome. But, it is okay because I don't date based solely on appearances, so you're safe," she stated trying to be as serious as possible. It was a hard task as he stared at her. Finally a grin spread across her face and he shook his head.

"Lily Evans, I am very disappointed in you," he said, turning from her. When he spun around, he had a grin on his face and he laughed. "I don't know how I got so lucky," he told her seriously.

"We're both lucky, it's not just you," she replied, scooting over closer to him. He grabbed her in his arms, bringing her into his lap. She giggled as he hugged her close to him. They sat in the contented silence, the only noise in the room being their soft, even breaths. Lily rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.

James snorted quietly and placed his head on Lily's. "Did you see Petunia's face when I called her Petty?" he asked, his body shaking with soft laughter.

Soon Lily was laughing as well. "Yes," she said. "I thought she was going to explode! What with that and Vernon the whale, she was close to bursting!"

"Could you imagine? Trying to explain that to your parents?" he asked. Then he pretended to wipe a tear. "Really, she just…sort of burst!"

Lily placed her head in her has as the laughter escaped her body. She knew that it was horrible to imagine her sister exploding, but she and Petunia would never be close again. It was almost as if Petunia had never been her sister. Lily no longer felt any connection to her at all.

A yawn slipped through Lily's mouth and James smiled at her. "Looks like someone's ready for bed," he said, rubbing her cheek with his hand. He made a move to stand and help her off, but she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't go," she said, pleadingly.

He smiled, but nonetheless lifted her up and laid her on the bed. He kissed her forehead, both of her cheeks, her nose, and finally her lips. "I'm right down the hall," he said, caressing her cheek with his hand. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Goodnight, James," she replied, watching him leave. He shut the door quietly, but her eyes stayed on the door for what seemed like hours. She sat up and dressed herself in her pajamas. She walked to her window and looked up at the stars. It was then that she realized that whatever happened didn't matter. What mattered was that she had James and he would always be at her side.

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**So, what do you think? There's more playtime with Vernon to come.**

**Review!**


	18. Part I: Playing

**Alright, first, thanks to all the people who reviewed, it was so nice to hear from you guys! Second, sorry for the long wait this weekend. I had major amounts of homework and my dad had to do the taxes…but I think this is the longest chapter (it's over 3000 words!) so I hope that makes everyone happier!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Playing

Lily had never had more entertainment over break in the seven years since she had received her Hogwarts letter. Every other year had been completely miserable with Petunia constantly degrading her and later bringing Vernon along for added support of her cause. Lily should have thought of bringing James earlier. In fact, she should have invited all the Marauders for a chance to give Petunia the same treatment she had given Lily since she found out she couldn't go to Hogwarts.

It was all extremely hilarious to Lily, who sat back and watched Vernon and James battle back and forth, James with the obvious advantage. Vernon didn't help himself though. He insulted, attacked (both verbally and physically), and tried to humiliate James, all in front of Lily's parents. The funny part was that James let him.

Or, at least, let him in front of her parents.

James Potter wasn't the ringleader of the Marauders for nothing. He knew how not to get into trouble and knew how to keep himself on the Evans's good sides. The day after James transfigured Vernon into the animals, the whale of a man insulted James at every chance. By the end of the day, Lily and James went over everything Vernon had called him and found out James was a good for nothing, orphaned drunk that had no friends, no money, and no job and would lead Lily into a life of smuggling drugs ("or whatever is the equivalent in _your_ world," Vernon had said) and be on the front page of the newspaper after being sentenced to life in prison.

And when Lily's parents went to bed, James took out his wand and opened the door to the living room, only a crack like he had the night before. He pointed his wand at Vernon and muttered a few simple spells. Suddenly, there was a ghastly voice singing Christmas carols through the room. The voice was coming from Vernon's stomach and when he lifted his shirt to see what was happening, he saw his bellybutton had been turned into a mouth and was the source of the songs.

"Potter!" Vernon yelled, storming the door and glaring at the two.

James merely smiled. "Nice voice, Dursley," he said unsuccessfully holding back a chuckle. "I didn't know you could sing!"

It did not surprise Lily and James the next morning when Vernon continued his tirade at breakfast. His face was red with anger upon seeing the young wizard and continued to verbally attack him. The names were endless, starting with the childhood name of _four-eyes_ and escalating to names that were just plain rude. That night, James transfigured him into a walrus and kept him that way for a complete hour.

The day after that was no better. Vernon decided to insult James's parents. Lily followed James out of the room, as he needed to leave before he hexed Vernon in front of Lily's parents. His fists were clenched and his breathing heavy, but he reluctantly calmed himself and stayed away from the portly man for the rest of the day. That night, James sent a Stinging Hex at Vernon which caused his mouth to swell and he shrieked in pain. When Lily looked at James, the playful light in his eyes, which were bloodshot red instead of white, had disappeared.

"I don't understand why Vernon hates James so much," Lily heard her mother tell her father the next morning. She stood outside the door to listen in. "He hasn't done anything to Vernon. He's been an angel, Logan."

"I know, Elizabeth," she heard her father reply with a contented tone. She was sure he was grinning. "I'm thrilled Lily found someone like him and not like Dursley."

Lily smiled and pushed open the door. "Morning," she greeted as the white sunshine filled the room. Her parents ended their conversation, but her father's large grin continued to light up his face. He turned to her.

"Good morning, Lily-pad," he said, putting the paper he had in his hands on the table. Lily looked at the front page and noticed there had been a multiple-victim murder a few towns away. The picture of a destroyed house on the front page bothered her; there was a green light in the sky.

"Where's James?"

She looked up, taking her eyes off the picture to see her mother stare at her expectantly. Her mind was taken away from the photograph and she smiled at her mother, who handed her a bowl of cereal. "He's still asleep," she said, sitting beside her father. Logan grabbed the newspaper and folded it, placing it under his chair as he had already read it. "I decided not to wake him up yet," she added, her voice distant. She ate her cereal in silence, listening to the conversation between her parents about the weather.

A pecking sound was heard from the window and Lily looked up. A beautiful white owl sat on the windowsill, hitting the glass with his beak. Lily didn't recognize the owl, but knew it didn't belong to her parents or sister, so she walked toward it. When she opened the window, it obediently remained sitting on the sill and held its leg out to Lily to receive the letter. She took it and passed it a piece of bread that was on the counter. It hooted happily and flew around, landing in a tree in her yard.

She looked down at the letter and immediately recognized Sirius's messy handwriting. She smiled, and then told her parents she was going to give it to James before exiting the room. She walked up the stairs, passing Petunia and Vernon silently on the stairs and knocked on James's door. There was a quiet groan and she pushed it open.

James was in his bed, his body half in it and half on the ground. The sheets were kicked in various different directions, his face in the pillow. She rolled her eyes and sat down on the mattress, taking her finger to run it along the bottoms of his feet. He jumped at the contact and let out a ticklish chuckle. Noticing it was Lily, he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked, taking his glasses from the bedside table and placing them on his face. He yawned into his hand and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

Lily grinned and handed him the letter. "It's about eleven-ish," she said, watching him tear the letter open and briefly skim the contents. "Anything interesting?"

He shrugged and tossed the letter on his trunk. "Not much," he said, leaning against the pillows. "Moony's sick again and Padfoot's venting his boredom to me. Apparently, Wormtail's not much company."

"How did you guys come up with those nicknames?" she asked casually while she looked at the letter. When he didn't answer she looked up and he looked lost for words, as if there was something he couldn't tell her. "Don't worry about it if you can't remember, but it just seemed odd that you call each other by those bizarre nicknames all the time."

James let out a breath. "Yeah, they just sort of happened back in fifth year," he said quickly.

Lily nodded, although not entirely putting it aside. She knew there was something James wasn't telling her about it, but she assumed it was between him and the Marauders, so she didn't need to know what it was. She had just been curious about the names they had given each other.

"So, what should we do today?" Lily asked. "It's Christmas Eve and the sun is shining outside. What would you like to do?"

He looked up at her for a moment, biting his bottom lip and squinting his eyes in thought, before smiling. "How about you take me on a tour," he said. "We'll take a nice long walk around the neighborhood."

"There's not much to look at. It's a rather rundown area," Lily warned him.

"That's okay; I have something better to look at anyway." He winked at her and she shook her head playfully. He stood from the bed and took a shirt out of his trunk. It was then that Lily realized that he was shirtless and only in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. She felt her cheeks redden as her eyes scanned his quidditch-toned body.

He looked up and smirked at her. "Like what you're looking at, Lils?" he asked cockily, raising his eyebrows a few times.

She grabbed his pillow and threw it lightly at him. "Oh, shut up, James," she said with a smile. "Get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs."

His eyes followed her out of the room and she had to take a few deep breaths. She walked into her room across the hall and sat on her bed. Her heart was beating quickly, making her feel as if she had run a marathon. A pecking noise filled her room and she turned, shaking her head when she saw Michelle's owls on her windowsill.

"So many owls today," she said, lifting the window and allowing the owl entrance. He hooted happily and dropped the letter on her desk. She opened it and read the contents.

_Dear Lily, _

_I hope you and James are having a better time than I am – although I haven't received a letter yet! My retched cousin Antoinette (yes that little one who you thought was adorable but is really the spawn of the devil) found my photo album and plucked out all the pictures I have of the Marauders! And then the little brat showed my father who has now decided I should be transferred to Beauxbatons because I'm being influenced by them – as if the boys there are any better, they're just French! Oh, and you should have heard what they all had to say when they found out Sirius's surname! If I'm not at Hogwarts after break, I've been moved to an isolated island far away from any "hormonal boys, especially those named Black!"_

_Seriously, my parents couldn't get any worse. If they hate all the boys at Hogwarts, why didn't they find someone themselves – not that I want to be betrothed to anyone, but it's just a thought._

_But, back to you. I haven't heard anything about your time at home. Hopefully everyone's still in one piece, although with James there I highly doubt it. Vernon's probably already gotten a full blast of the lovable James Potter, but please, correct me if I'm wrong._

_Happy Christmas, Lily! I can't wait to see what James gets you! I just received a package from Sirius (my father is still yelling as I write this, I tried to tell him that Sirius is just a friend but he doesn't understand) and it bit me! He jinxed it to bite me if I tried to open it before Christmas! _

_Anyway, Lily, enjoy the holiday. That way, at least one of us can be happy._

_Love, Michelle_

Lily shook her head at the letter. She knew that Michelle and her family often had differences in opinion. Her parents were the type that wanted certain things for their daughter and held certain views. They were mortified by her career choice, hated her fancy of quidditch, and Sirius seemed the latest addition to the list. Lily wanted to tell them that no matter what they said to their daughter, Sirius and Michelle getting together was inevitable. She was sure of it.

She sat at her desk and picked up a quill. She quickly responded to what Michelle had said and then wrote about James's pranks. These took up the majority of the letter, as this was what Michelle wanted to hear about, and she signed it. She passed it to the owl. He hooted and flew out the open window. Lily closed it and watched the bird fly off into the distance until she couldn't see it any longer.

"I thought you were going to meet me downstairs?" she heard in the doorway. She turned to see James leaning against the doorframe. He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at her.

"Oh, I was just replying to Michelle," she told him. She eyed him curiously. "My Christmas present won't bite me will it?" she asked.

James's eyes widened and a look of confusion spread across his face. "What?" he asked.

"Well, Michelle received a gift from _your_ best friend and it bit her because she tried to open it," Lily explained.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, mine won't bite. That's just Padfoot. Last Christmas my gift screamed if I tried to open it. He hates it when you ruin a surprise."

Lily walked toward him and he placed his arm around her shoulders. They walked down the hallway and out the door, Lily the only one to notice Petunia's glare as they walked past the living room where she and Vernon were sitting with their parents. "Okay, Tour Guide, where are we going?"

"As I said before," she grumbled quietly. "There's not much to show."

She shook his head and tightened his grip on her. "Nonsense," he said. "If Lily Evans grew up here, there must be some bright spots."

They walked together down the road until Lily had led him to the playground she used to play on when she was younger. There were a few young children running around, sliding on a red plastic slide that appeared to have seen better days. She pointed to the giant wooden structure. "That's where I used to play with Petunia and Severus," she told him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's a playground," she said slowly, walking with him so they were closer to the structure. "You've never played on a playground?"

He shook his head. "No, I played with house-elves for the most part. The only other children I knew were the Van Burens," he said quietly, his eyes focused on the playground. "I don't even know if they have these in the wizarding world," he muttered.

She took his hand and brought him to a rickety swing set and told him to sit down and pump his legs. At first he looked at her as if she had two heads, but eventually sat down and kicked off. She watched him go higher and higher into the air, laughing and smiling. She felt a tug on her skirt and looked down to see a little, auburn-haired girl. She looked to be about five and pointed at James.

"He looks like he has never been on a swing a'for," she said with the innocent childhood lisp that all children possess.

Lily smiled at the child, whose face was covered in dirt and had a tattered dress. She reminded Lily a lot of herself. "He hasn't," Lily told her.

Her blue eyes widened in shock. "He hasn't!" she exclaimed. Then, she walked away from Lily and approached James, who had stopped himself and was catching his breath from his laughter. "You've never been on a swing?" she demanded.

James shook his head and the girl giggled. "Well, do you want to see who can go higher? I can go the highest of everybody! We checked!"

"Alright," James said, while she lifted herself onto the swing beside him. He glanced at Lily and smiled before exerting only a little bit of energy and watching the girl soar into the sky. He kept a good height so she wouldn't think he was letting her win and when they stopped she looked up at him.

"Pretty good," she said honestly. She walked to him and patted his knee. "You are almost the best swinger on the playground," she added before skipping off to a boy who appeared to be her brother.

Lily laughed and James stood, engulfing her in his arms. "What do you think about that, Lily? Your boyfriend's the best on the playground!"

"He's the best in other aspects too," she said, kissing him quickly before running onto the wooden playground with James right on her heels. She didn't notice dark black eyes staring at her through the bushes.

And she didn't notice Severus Snape lift himself out of the bushes and walk toward Spinner's End.

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**So, there's a little bit about Vernon, but there's one more humongous prank to come. I wanted to make sure her trip home wasn't fully about them terrorizing him.**

**Review!**


	19. Part I: Christmas

**Thanks for reviewing (2 away from 100, guys this is great)! You're all awesome!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Christmas

Lily woke to an incredible bouncing sensation. Her bed shook beneath her, making her shake and nearly fall from the bed. She grabbed onto the mattress and turned her head. James was jumping up and down with a child-like smile.

"It's Christmas, Lily!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm making the gold in his eyes shine metallically.

She sat up and tried to grab his legs in attempts to make him stop jumping, but it proved to be in vain. Instead, James fell, landing on her with a loud oomph. He chuckled. "Happy Christmas, Lily," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently.

"Happy Christmas, James," she responded with a smile.

"Well, just to let you know, your parents are wondering where you are," he said. He didn't move from his position on top of her. "Petty and Dursley decided they couldn't wait to open their gifts, but they still have one more coming from me that you can see them open," he added with an impious grin.

He kissed her quickly before leaping off her, and standing by the door. She stood and followed him, placing her robe on as she went. He was dressed in the same pajama bottoms he had been the day before, but had added a matching shirt. She slipped her hand into his as the descended the staircase.

Her family was congregated in the living room, which held a monstrous Christmas tree. James had been shocked by the electric lights her parents had placed on it before they had arrived and had spent the better part of the first day being informed of electricity by her father. Logan Evans had taken it upon himself to teach the boy everything muggle. Lily knew he found it interesting to see the look on James's face at simple objects that required electricity.

"There you are, Lily!" her father said, as they entered. "We were wondering what happened to you."

Lily opened her mouth, but James beat her to it. "She was still sleeping! Can you believe that? Sleeping through Christmas," he said, casting Lily a glance of mock disapproval.

Her father played into the game and shook his head. "Lils, have I taught you nothing?"

"Alright, boys, enough," Elizabeth said, before looking to Lily. "You have a few gifts under the tree, dear."

In all there were four gifts remaining: two for her (she wasn't surprised to find Vernon and Petunia hadn't given her anything), one for her parents, and one for James. She hoped he liked her gift. She passed her gifts out and sat to watch. Her mother opened the gift and smiled, showing the room. Lily had given them a moving picture of the four Evans. Of course, Petunia was frowning and glaring at the camera, but the other three held sincere expressions.

Lily, in return, opened her gift from her parents. It was a porcelain music box with small purple flowers and a golden sun. In light gray letters it read her name in fancy script and when she opened it soft music filled the room. She thanked her parents and her mother turned to her father. "He was the one who picked it out," she said honestly.

"I saw it and knew you'd love it, Lily-pad," he said. He coughed lightly into his elbow and smiled at her with a genuine grin that can only come from a father watching his daughter.

Lily turned to James, wanting him to open her gift, but he shook his head. He looked away from Lily to her older sister and abominable husband. He pulled out a small rectangular package and handed it to Vernon. "Happy Christmas!"

"We didn't get you anything," Petunia sneered as Vernon greedily snatched the gift.

"It doesn't matter, Petty. It's the giving spirit," James told her with a sneaky grin.

Lily saw her father nod out of the corner of her eye at James's attitude. Vernon tore open the paper, not thinking twice about being nervous. Lily would have been nervous if she was on James's bad side and was receiving a gift from him. When the paper was tossed to the floor, Vernon held a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"Try one," James dared. "They're one of my favorite candies."

Vernon dug his hand into the box and plopped a bean in his mouth. Within seconds he spit it out and glared at James. "What is that?"

James shrugged. "You must have gotten earwax," he stated, keeping a straight face while Lily was having a hard time not giggling. Vernon continued his glare, intensifying it. "Or vomit, from the look on your face."

"Vomit flavored jellybeans?" Logan asked in disbelief. "Why would you want to eat a thing like that?"

James chuckled. "You don't, it merely adds to the excitement because you don't always get a good flavor."

"Here, try one," Vernon said, thrusting the box in the direction of his father-in-law. He held a smirk on his face, as if he wanted to see Mr. Evans get the vomit flavored bean. Lily looked at James. He smiled and leaned back into the couch.

Mr. Evans carefully picked out a red bean and placed it in his mouth. "Mmm, cherry," he said.

Vernon immediately grabbed at the box, picked out a red bean and put it in his mouth. He chewed it for a second before spitting it into his hand. He glared at James and turned to Petunia. He forced her to take a jellybean and watched her face for a reaction. Her face contorted in disgust, but she swallowed, glaring at James and Lily. It was then that Lily knew he had jinxed the box so Petunia and Vernon got only disgusting flavors. She chuckled softly under her breath at James's cleverness.

"That was very thoughtful, James," Elizabeth said quietly, watching Vernon and Petunia carefully.

James smiled and turned to Lily. "Open mine, now," he said, handing her a small rectangular box. She took it in her hands and ripped the paper gently. When she had taken off the wrapping, she lifted the top of the box and gasped.

Inside was a silver, oval locket. It had three white lilies carved on the front, one larger one in the middle flanked by two smaller ones, one smaller than the other. There were two small emerald stones were placed at the bottom of the three stems. She looked up at him. "It's beautiful, thank you," she told him.

Petunia lifted her head to look over Vernon at the gift. Lily could see her dark eyes filling with jealousy as she glared at Vernon for a brief moment before directing the gaze to James.

"I'm glad you like it," James said, a sincere smile spreading across his face. "Would you like me to put it on?"

Lily nodded and James eased forward, taking the clasp and bringing it together. She touched the front and took a deep breath as it rested against her body. She kissed James lightly before walking to her parents, as she could see her mother fidgeting, wanting to see it. Logan looked over his daughter at James and nodded. "Good job," she thought she heard him say.

"James, that was gorgeous," Elizabeth sighed when Lily walked back to her seat. She looked quickly at Petunia. The girl glared at her sister, her nose flaring as Lily took her seat beside James. Lily handed her present to James who, like a child, shook it by his ear. Lily, Logan, and Elizabeth chuckled, but Petunia and Vernon remained deathly quiet.

He ripped the paper and lifted the top of the box. Letting out a hardy laugh, he withdrew a comb. Lily heard her mother tell her off under her breath, but she knew James understood. He reached into the box and pulled out a tiny snitch. He looked at her questioningly and she smiled at him.

"Remember, back in fifth year, you used to play with one of these?" she asked. He nodded, but still looked at her confused. She grinned. "Do you remember the one that flew away when I pushed you and Sirius into the lake?" He nodded. "This is it. Michelle caught it and we kept it thinking we could use it against you if needed, but I thought this would be better."

A grin broke on his face and he looked at the snitch, as if realizing it was an old friend. The wings escaped from its sides and the snitch began to fly around the room. Lily watched her father follow it with his eyes. "Absolutely fantastic," he muttered, watching it zoom from one corner to the next. Finally, it hovered around James's head and he caught it easily.

"Thank you," he said, holding it in his hands.

Petunia stood and grabbed Vernon's hand, pulling him from the room in a huff. Elizabeth shook her head at the two and James waved. "Happy Christmas, Petty, Dursley!" he called, causing Logan to snigger into his hand.

They ate a small breakfast without Petunia and Vernon before Lily took James upstairs. She knocked on Petunia's door and the blonde girl opened it fiercely. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"I just thought you'd like to know James and I are done downstairs and you can go down without being around us freaks," Lily told her before turning and walking into her room. James was seated on her bed, looking around the room. She closed the door quietly.

"I always knew you'd be neat," he muttered, not looking at her, but at a bookshelf across from him. She walked to him and sat down on the bed. He turned to her. "What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

She shook her head. "Nothing," she told him. She took his hand in hers and took a deep breath. She knew what she wanted to say. She had planned it out the night before, which was one of the reasons James had found her sleeping when he went to get her. She knew exactly what to say but the words were caught on her tongue. "James…"

"What is it, Lils?" he asked, taking her into his arms. "You can tell me."

"I know," she told him, looking up into his beautiful, hazel eyes. "I know, and that's why I need to say this." Her breathing rate increased, but she felt oddly comfortable in the situation. "James, I love you."

And she had done it. She had given her heart to him. She was vulnerable and he had all the power. That had scared her the most. She had grappled with the feelings since she had found out James was coming to her house for Christmas. Was it too soon? She had thought about it, more frequently in the past few days, and decided she would say it.

She had come up with so many what-if situations in her head. What if he didn't love her back? She knew this was highly unlikely because she remembered what Sirius had said the night they got together, the reason she had enough courage to tell him to ask her out another time: "_Because you're still bloody head-over-heels in love with her!_" What if he was feeling lust for her? What if he left her, just like everyone else, like Petunia and Severus.

He rested his head on her forehead and looked into her eyes. He smiled and kissed her passionately on the lips like he never had before. When he broke away, his smile had grown miles wide. "Lily, I love you, too," he said. "You don't know how good it feels to say that to your face."

They just rested in each other's embrace. It was silent, but the good silence of two people who truly knew and loved each other more than anything else. Lily felt James tracing circles on her palm, sending relaxed shocks through her body. She had never felt this comfortable with someone before in her life, but it seemed natural with James.

"Remember when we talked about the future?" James asked quietly. She nodded, remembering their conversation in Hogsmeade. "What do you think about? The future, that is."

Lily looked up at him. "Well, my plans for the future have been constantly changing since I was seven years old," she told him honestly. "And they just changed again."

"What are they now?" he asked curiously.

"You," she told him quietly. "You and me, James and Lily, together forever."

He grinned. "I like the sound of that," he said, kissing her forehead. He hugged her close to his body, rocking them back and forth on the bed. "How about we go on a walk?" he suggested, standing and holding out his hand for her.

She reached up and grabbed it lightly. "I'll always go for a walk with you."

"Good, and maybe we can stop by those swings again," he said, chuckling as they walked out the door and passed Vernon and Petunia. The two glared at James and Lily, and the wizard stared at his witch before casually pulling out his wand. He pointed it at Vernon's back side and muttered a few words. Suddenly, a pig's tale popped out of his pants and a large tarantula climbed up his back. His hair had turned a vibrant shade of green and red and his shirt now read: "Happy Christmas!" in flashing lights. Lily grinned and hugged James tighter.

"Hopefully your parents won't mind," he said quietly as they left the house.

Lily shook her head. "Honestly, I think you'll be my father's hero."

The two laughed loudly as they descended down the road. Lily truly loved her little prankster.

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**So, what do you think? Can anyone find any symbolism/literary devices in the gifts? Sorry...I sound like my English teacher!**

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	20. Part I: Hogwarts

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews! We're over a hundred and on chapter 20! **

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Part I: Hogwarts

Lily was glad she and James were out of the house when Vernon realized what had happened to his shirt and body. Apparently, he had stormed around shouting and yelling. His face had matched the red stripes in his hair. When they arrived back at the house, he demanded James change him back, grabbing onto James's shirt and shaking him impetuously. James reluctantly changed him into the same Vernon he had been, making it known that he liked the new and improved Vernon better. This one comment resulted in a punch to the face for James.

What Vernon didn't understand was why he had been more hurt than James had. When his nose should have been broken, there was no pain. Vernon, on the other hand, held his hand with gasps of pain. Elizabeth had given them both bags of ice, even though James insisted he didn't need it, and Logan had patted James on the back with a wide grin. When Lily was placing the ice-filled bag in a towel for James's unbroken nose, she thought she heard her father mutter something that sounded vaguely like "welcome to the family," in James's ear. When Vernon arrived, carefully nursing his hand with a scowl, James was smiling profusely.

Learning from his mistakes, Vernon stayed away from Lily and James for the rest of their vacation. When he did pass them in a hallway or sat with them at meals, there was always a comment made that badmouthed James in one way or another. Petunia stayed deathly quiet, communicating only with the use of glares directed at Lily and James.

Needless to say, Lily was happy to get away from Vernon and Petunia and back to Hogwarts with her friends. When the day finally arrived for them to go back to Hogwarts, James and Lily left the house with Logan, while Elizabeth waved from the front steps. Petunia stood in the second story window with her arms crossed, staring with hate as the two placed their trunks in the back of the car. When her eyes met Lily's, she quickly turned away so her back was facing her sister.

As it was early morning when they had to leave for the Hogwarts Express, the car ride was nearly silent. James laid in the back seat, his even breaths the only noise coming from his sleeping form. Lily sat next to her father, listening to the quiet classical music that played through the speakers and watching the English countryside pass as they drove closer and closer to London.

As they left the serene country roads and entered the bustling city of London, England, James woke up, glancing out the window with disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. They were caught in the early morning traffic of London, but as they knew this would happen and planned in advance, they arrived to King's Cross Station on time.

They grabbed their trunks. Logan gave James a pat on the back before pulling him into a hug and muttering something Lily couldn't hear to him. James smiled and backed away to allow Lily a chance to say goodbye. She hugged her father tightly around his neck and smiled at him. "Bye, Dad," she said.

"Bye, Lily-pad," he said, kissing her cheek and looking at her at arm's length. "Be good," he warned. "And keep a hold of this one, he fits in this family like a puzzle piece."

She smiled and hugged him once more. "I will, don't worry."

He let her go slowly and stood back to look on. He coughed once and waved as the two walked into the station, hand in hand, with their trunks behind them. There was an odd feeling of loss as she turned once more at her father, who had on his favorite black button up shirt and pair of old, graying jeans. His red hair was slightly askew – but nothing compared to James's mop that was sticking up in fifty different directions. She shook off the feeling when he was no longer anything but a tiny black dot in the crowd of busy workers.

With ten minutes to eleven, they walked through the barrier and onto the platform. It was tumultuous as usual and James literally had to push through parents and children to get them on the train. With their belongings neatly stowed, they walked into the compartment they had on the way home a few weeks prior to find the two girls they were looking for inside.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Lily and James enter. With a smile, Lily knocked on the doorframe and the two girls looked up. Michelle immediately stood and hugged her friend as tight as she could.

"Oh, Lily, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed as James took her seat and winked to Ivy, placing a finger to his lips. "I thought for sure I'd never see any of you again!"

The two sat down, Michelle not realizing that James had taken her seat and she was now seated beside Ivy. Her mind was too preoccupied. "Why? What happened?" Lily asked her.

"I got in a huge fight with my parents," she said, shaking her head. "I was just telling Ivy. You remember how I got a package from Sirius?"

James groaned and looked to Michelle, turning his attention from their departure of King's Cross to the girl at the mention of his best friend. "What'd the bonehead do this time?" he asked.

"It wasn't him, it was my parents," she said quickly. "I tried to explain, I really did, but they don't realize that he's not like his family. My father's exact words were: 'I can't have you gallivanting around with a _Black_. You need to choose where your loyalties lie.' They've decided to stay in France and I was going to Beauxbatons, some stupid connection they had with the Headmistress got me in. I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran away."

Lily's eyes widened. "What?" she asked in disbelief. "When?"

"A few days after Christmas," she said quietly. "That's one of the reasons I didn't respond to your letter. I had no owl and I was boarding at The Leaky Cauldron, helping out Tom for my keep. I only have the little bit money I took from my parents before I left."

"Are you sure they aren't overreacting?" James asked softly.

Michelle shook her head solemnly. "No, they've made themselves clear over the past few years. What they say goes. They hate that I want to be an auror, they have hated every decision that I've ever made," she said to him. "They always had the idea the idea that they could form me to be whatever they wanted, and I wasn't going to be the foolish, little, innocent girl they wanted me to stay anymore."

"Why didn't you come to my house?" Lily asked. "You could have stayed with us."

"I know, but I didn't want to ruin your Christmas. I'm sure you two had a great time," she said, and then she smiled. "How was Vernon?"

She had directed the question more to James than Lily, even though she was still looking at her best friend. James laughed sheepishly. "Let's just say…Vernon Dursley and I are not on good terms," James told her with a smile.

Ivy turned from the window she had been staring out of to look to James with wide-eyed fascination. "Did you make him explode?"

He shook his head. "No, but I did turn him into various large mammals and made him light up like a Christmas tree."

Lily sat back and listened to James telling her friends of his pranks. They did seem immensely funny, but Lily knew they were more entertaining to watch. She could see James's eyes lighting up as he told the two girls of Vernon's reactions. Ivy and Michelle both stayed engaged and when James had finished elaborating his tales to them, Ivy turned to her. "It sounds like they got a good dose of medicine over vacation," she smiled.

"Yes," Lily said, taking James's hand and leaning into his chest. "They did and it was brilliant!"

"You two are so cute together," Michelle commented, but Lily could see the hint of jealousy in her eyes. She had to suppress her grin. "What did you get for Christmas?"

With her free hand, Lily held up her locket that was tied securely around her neck. Ivy looked at with a smile and Michelle's eyes lit up. "Lily, that's so beautiful," she whispered awestruck. "Three lilies and two emeralds. Gorgeous! James, I'm assuming this was your gift?"

He proudly nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulder tighter. "Only the best for my Lily," he said.

"What did you get from Sirius?" Lily asked, remembering that her friend had gotten bit by the wrapping when she tried to open it too soon.

Michelle smiled widely and held out her wrist. It was a silver bracelet, simple yet beautiful. Lily raised her eyebrows at her. "No wonder your father thought you were more than just friends," she muttered, hoping Michelle had heard her.

She knew she had when a flash of crimson flooded her ivory cheeks. She darted her head, her hair falling in front of her eyes, clearly embarrassed by Lily's comment. Glancing up at Lily, she held a curious look.

Ivy saved Lily from having to explain anything by looking at her friends with a dreamy smile. "Do you think the boys were bored?" she asked James.

He grinned. "No, definitely not."

Lily frowned and turned to James. "I thought you said Sirius was dying from boredom in his letter."

She felt his heart skip a beat and his breathing stop momentarily, as if he had been caught in a horrible lie. Lily didn't know what to think, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled uncertainly at her. "Padfoot never stays bored long," he told her quickly. "That's what I meant."

Keeping an eye on him for the rest of the night, she listened in to Ivy's story of her holiday with Chris and her family. She absentmindedly talked about him for most of the train ride back and Lily listened off and on. At times James would distract her by squeezing her side or kissing the back of her ear, whispering in her ear at the same time. Michelle gazed out the window wistfully.

Finally as darkness descended the countryside, the Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop at Hogsmeade Station. Lily looked out the window and saw Hagrid, the friendly half-giant, standing on the platform with a lantern so he could lead the pupils up to the castle. When the train had stopped and the compartment doors opened, the four seventh years exited the train and walked together through the crowd.

As they passed a group of Slytherin boys, James wrapped his arm around Lily's waist protectively, keeping his eyes on them. Lily looked at the faces but didn't recognize many. They looked to be of all different ages, as she saw Severus and Regulus walking close together glaring at the four as they strode passed a group of first years.

"James! Lily!"

They looked up and spotted Hagrid waving to them. They approached him quickly to say hello with Ivy and Michelle right on their heels. "How was yeh holidays, yeh two?" he asked with a smile. "Sirius and Peter came down tah visit and told me yeh was up at Lily's."

"It was great, Hagrid," James replied. "How was Christmas here?"

Hagrid shrugged. "It was good, I suppose. Dere was no Marauder Christmas prank," he said with disappointment in his voice. "Dey was missin' yeh and Sirius said dey couldn't do it without yeh, James."

A smile spread across James's features, but his eyes held a small amount of guilt. Lily patted his shoulder and his smile masked the emotions in his eyes. "Well, what can you say, Hagrid?" he asked. "We Marauders stick together."

They waved in parting to the half-giant and walked up to the carriages. They sat down inside and sat in silence up to the castle, the murmurs of student conversation hitting their ears. When they departed, they walked into the Great Hall together and stopped at the entrance when they heard a loud voice screaming for James.

Lily quickly untangled herself from James's arm in time to see Sirius running at his best friend like a dog that hadn't seen his owner in months. He barreled into James and the two landed on the ground, laughing loudly together. Lily, Michelle, and Ivy watched in amusement at the display. Sirius stood after a moment and reached a hand for James to get up before turning to Michelle and running to her side.

"Did you like it?" he asked. Lily and Ivy glanced at each other then walked toward the Gryffindor table with James to give them some privacy.

When they sat down, Remus glanced up from the book he held in his hands and offered a small smile. Peter was fidgeting in his seat on the bench, banging his utensils on the plate in front of him. "Happy New Year," Remus said slightly lethargic. "Or, well, a few weeks ago."

"It's okay, Moony," James said, patting his back. "How are you feeling?"

The tawny-haired boy just shook his head, burying his face further into the pages of the book. Lily watched him in a concerned manner. Remus was clearly ill. His face was extremely pale, almost ghost-like accentuating the dark purple circles under his eyes, and his breathing staggered. Sirius and Michelle returned and Sirius sat beside his friend. "A few more days, Moony, then all of this will be over," he said softly, patting his shoulder sympathetically.

Remus groaned and leaned his head on the table. "For a few weeks," he muttered.

Lily had never seen Remus so ill before. Normally when he was sick he would avoid people, sticking with the Marauders and hanging out in the dorms. It was obvious the only reason he was out was because James was arriving back to school and the Marauders wanted to be together as they hadn't been for nearly a month.

Professor Dumbledore gave his welcome-back speech and Lily looked down the table. Cecily was sitting by herself, casting a few melancholy glances toward the group of seventh years. Seeing Lily looking at her, she quickly turned her head and listened to the Headmaster. She smiled to herself. Remus was right in telling her to relax over vacation because she knew her mind was going to be plagued by her need to find out what happened to Cecily during the year.

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**So they're back at Hogwarts. What do you think?**

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	21. Part I: February

**Thanks for all the great reviews guys. Here's the next chapter!**

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Part I: February

The rest of January passed by rather in a dull sort of way for the Gryffindor seventh years. Classes began the day after their arrival and there was not much more they could do but study and do their work. The date of their NEWTS tests was fast approaching, leaving them little time to do anything else. Remus was admitted to the hospital wing on the twenty-fourth and was forced to stay there for the following week. When Lily went to visit him, his red scars seemed new, but he said it was just a trick of the light.

It seemed that the only bright spot for both he and Lily in the month of January was her birthday, which fell on the thirtieth and was the day Remus was released. James had decided to throw a small party for her in the Gryffindor common room, but the Marauders had no idea what the word small meant. There were fireworks and banners, and Lily had been slightly embarrassed by it all. But all the embarrassment subsided when James presented her with his gift of a promise ring. She hadn't taken it off since he put it on her finger.

The weekends in January were rather boring as well for Lily, who had gotten used to James's pranks on Vernon. As their next match, which was against Hufflepuff, was in early February, James had the team practicing hard in the final weeks of January. She and James at least had their Head duties which gave them time to be together, but many others in their year were not so lucky. On any given day, a person would see at least one of the seventh years sitting by the fire with a book on their lap and a quill in their hand.

So, it wasn't a surprise that when the second Hogsmeade weekend occurred the day before Valentine's Day, every student wanted to go.

"Oh, it will be nice to get out of the castle," Ivy sighed, looking out the window as Lily changed out of her robes. She gazed longingly at the outdoors that was covered in a light dusting of white snow. Lily smiled at her as she placed her Head Girl badge on her bedside table and walked toward Ivy.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Lily asked.

Ivy shook her head. "No, but it will be nice to go exploring the grounds. I want to just walk around, you know?" she said in a far-off voice. "Get to know Hogwarts before we leave."

Lily knew better than to start a conversation with her when she was in one of those moods and quietly sat on her bed. She pulled out one of her school books and skimmed through the pages. She was always a worrier when it came to tests. She always studied hard and still felt as if she was going to fail. Of course, she never did, but it was just her personality.

A loud shriek filled the air and Lily lifted her head quickly. Ivy was shaken from her trance and turned to Lily. "What was that?" she asked worriedly.

Lily shook her head, but recognized the shriek. Pounding was heard on the staircase outside their room and the two glanced at each other with dread. The door slammed open and Lily made a grab for her wand, but stopped when she noticed it was only Michelle. The blond girl ran around the room, spinning around in circles with an oversized smile on her features.

She started to bounce in place and Lily walked to her. She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders to calm her down, but Michelle continued to jump up and down frantically.

"What has you so happy?" Ivy asked walking over to stand beside Lily.

She breathed in a few times before saying, "Sirius asked me to Hogsmeade!"

Ivy and Michelle both screamed again, but Lily backed up. She sat down on her bed, happy for her friend. She knew it would happen eventually. Knowing the two wouldn't miss her, she snuck out of the room quietly and walked down the staircase. A few first years had their heads poking out of their room, wondering what all the commotion was all about, but Lily was on a mission.

When the common room came into view, she saw Sirius sitting on the arm of the couch. He was staring at the staircase, but Lily had a feeling that she – and any other girl on the stairs – was invisible to his eyes. She walked up to him and stood for a moment before he realized she was beside him. He had an awestruck grin on his face, but it immediately wiped off when he looked down at her.

"What?" he asked sarcastically. "Are you going to tell me you don't approve? That she can do better than me?"

Lily shook her head. "No, just don't break her heart."

Sirius frowned. "I'm not intending on doing so, Lily. I don't think anyone _intends_ on breaking someone else's heart when they feel like I do about her." He pushed himself away from the couch and stood at full height. He immediately towered over her. "Look, she's not like the other girls, Lily. I know that, that's why I've been a chicken for the past however many months. I don't want to hurt her just as much as you don't want to see her hurt."

His eyes were filled with honesty and Lily knew he meant what he said. "I know."

"Then why did you ask?" he hissed, clearly not believing her.

"I'm just doing to you what you did to me," she responded. "Michelle's my best friend, just like James is yours. I will protect her just like you protect him."

He looked at her blankly for a few moments and Lily suddenly felt like she said the wrong thing. Then, a smile broke out over his features and the boy held out his hand. She took it and they shook hands. "I get it," Sirius told her, winking as the portrait hole opened.

"Padfoot, you missed it!"

Peter scurried through the room and attached himself to Sirius's arms with wide-eyes, reminding Lily of a child attaching himself to a parent's leg. She turned, knowing the other two Marauders weren't far behind. James and Remus were laughing as they walked in.

"What did you guys do?" Lily asked as the two approached. James smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He didn't respond, so she looked to Remus. The tawny-haired boy only shrugged with a good-natured smile.

"How did it go?" James asked Sirius. She watched him lift his head triumphantly and smiled his trademark grin. James and Remus both congratulated him, but Peter looked on confused.

"How did what go?" he asked, looking from boy to boy.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I asked Michelle to Hogsmeade, Wormy!" he yelled, hitting him upside the head. "Don't you listen to anything?"

Peter looked at the floor and shuffled his feet. He looked up at Sirius, who had already turned to talk to James and Remus, and glared for a brief moment that he thought no one had noticed. He hid the glare with a bright, watery smile and attached himself to the Marauders once more, attempting to get into their inner circle, which always seemed so close, but yet was never with his reach.

But, Lily had noticed the glare. She watched him bewilderment, wondering what was going through his small mind. She had never really liked Peter; he had always been the type of kid you were nice too, but never truly friends with. She had even felt bad for him, but the glare changed everything for her. She no longer knew what to think of the little, rat like boy.

Peter, after his attempts of getting the three boys' attention, walked away and up the staircase that led to their dorm. The boys didn't notice and instead walked to the couch. Sirius sat down on the coffee table, knocking over a clock as he sat down. It fell, smashing to the ground with a loud crash, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Honestly," he muttered, pulling out his wand to repair it. "I don't know if you're a klutz or you just don't care."

Sirius smiled and placed the small clock down next to him. "In seven years you haven't figured it out? Tisk, tisk, Moony!"

"He's the biggest klutz I know," James told Lily, smiling at her as he said it. Sirius picked up the clock that Remus had repaired and looked ready to throw it at his friend, but Remus stepped in the way and took it from the boy's hands.

"Do I really have to play mediator?" he asked, taking the clock and placing it on another table. Sirius sniggered quietly and shook his head, smiling at Remus with an innocent expression. "Good."

"So, Padfoot, you got your weekend all planned out?" James asked to change to subject.

Sirius nodded and leaned onto the table. He rested his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "Of course I do! I've only been planning this day for ages. And I've figured out all sorts of awesome things to do," he said, sighing contentedly.

James rolled his eyes and looked to Lily. He hugged her close. "What should we do, Lils?" he asked.

She shrugged and then looked away and at Remus. "Are you going?" she asked, not wanting him to feel left out of the group now that Sirius was going with Michelle and she would go with James.

"No," he said quietly. "I have to go talk to Professor Dumbledore about…careers and such. Besides Hogsmeade isn't so exciting after you go a million times."

She frowned. "We only go three times a year," she stated, not believing that Remus could have gotten sick of it that quickly. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

James coughed behind her and she turned quickly to see him pointing at his neck, telling Remus to stop what he was going to say. She turned back to see Remus mouth, '...bout the map?' and she frowned. She didn't know what map he was talking about. She looked back to James, but when she turned to him he just smiled sweetly.

However, while the conversation was going on, Sirius was in his own world. In the silence, the three heard him muttering quietly to himself about how wonderful his day was going to be. She looked up to see James's reaction. He shook his head at his friend and leaned over. "So, it's going to be great. Right, Pads?"

Sirius nodded, his eyes still closed and a grin plastered to his face. James laughed. "Young love," he recited to Lily and Remus. The two chuckled, but Lily kept an eye on Sirius.

She had never seen him act in this way. To her, he had always been a closed book – mysterious, confusing, and emotionless to anyone besides the Marauders. All throughout their schooling, he had always been Sirius Black: best friend of James Potter and Remus Lupin, one of the biggest troublemakers at Hogwarts, a member of the infamous Marauders, and a womanizing player who had a new girl on his arm every week.

But something in his smile and the way his left foot twirled around in happiness showed her there was a whole other side to the old Black heir and it was only now she was being let in to see it. He opened his eyes, displaying the beautiful gray-blue orbs that every girl fell in love with, and turned to James. "I've never felt like this before," he admitted.

"I know," he responded, looking at Lily. "I understand how you feel."

"Now we just have to get Moony a girl," Sirius joked, sitting up and hitting Remus's knee.

Remus glared. "No one would ever love me," he muttered. "I thought we've been over this. In fact I know we've been over this millions of times, so just leave it alone."

Sirius lept from the table and sat beside Remus. "Moony, that was before I realized how good it makes you feel to be with someone that's not just a fling."

"Oh, please, you been with Michelle for, what, all of five minutes and now you're the go-to guy on relationships?" Remus scoffed. "I think I'd rather go to Prongs with my problems, not you. No offence," he added, although his voice was dripping with sadism.

"Siri, let it go," James whispered solemnly. "It's his decision."

"It's a bad one," Sirius muttered while sitting back down on the coffee table. "Honestly, it's not like you're dangerous _all_ the time."

Remus's eyes bulged open. "Sirius," he hissed, nodding his head at Lily. She looked between the two, her head spinning in confusion. "Just shut up!"

"Fine!" Sirius yelled, standing up and tossing his hands up. "I'll leave before I mess anything else up! It's always _my_ fault when it comes to _your_ furry little problem, isn't it? I'll admit that it was my fault about Snape, but it's not always me who slips up and says something! I'm just trying to help."

Sirius turned and stormed up the stairs, Remus right on his heels apologizing. James turned to Lily and stood as well. He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Damage control," he muttered quietly, kissing her again, this time on the lips. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Goodnight, James," she said as she watched him run off after the two Marauders. She had never been so confused before. What had they been talking about? She walked up her own staircase, wondering if she would ever know.

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**So what do you think about all of this? I know some of you think Lily should realize some things, but I have that whole furry situation figured out in my head and I think you'll all really like it.**

**Also, Sirius breaking the clock isn't just for entertainment. We're reading The Great Gatsby in English class and a major motif in that book is time. If you've read that book, you'll understand the significance of Sirius breaking the clock and Lily's new revelations about him. If you haven't read it, I can give you my reasonings behind it. Just a fun little fact for you all.**

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	22. Part I: Scared

**Hey all! Here's the chapter! Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I loved reading them.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Scared

Hogsmeade couldn't have been more of a disaster for Lily and James. It had started out well, wonderful even, until they noticed they had a follower. They tried to ignore it, but it was extremely apparent that James was annoyed to no end over the fact that Severus Snape was following them. He was constantly looking over his shoulder and glaring at the Slytherin boy.

"Come on, Lily, one quick jinx and he'll leave us alone!" James complained while they were sitting outside the Three Broomsticks, staring at the bush Severus had hid himself in.

Lily shook her head. "James, you have a quidditch match tomorrow. You can't get into trouble," she reminded him.

This thought didn't help him and the two eventually left early from Hogsmeade with Severus right on their heels the entire way. When the two reached the Fat Lady, Lily glanced behind her once more to see him slink off down a corridor eyeing her intently until she walked inside the portrait hole and out of sight.

The common room was full of first and second years that were contently playing board games or showing off their magic. The only person in the room that was older than twelve or thirteen was Remus, who was seated on the couch with a book in his hands. Lily and James approached him and he quickly hid the book, but not before Lily could catch a glimpse of the title: _Werewolves in the Workplace._

Lily's world began to spin and everything that had been confusing and cryptic was suddenly clear. The sicknesses, the scars, Severus telling her years ago that the Marauders snuck out at night, why Remus's Bogart in third year had been a full moon – everything made sense. She fell limp at James's side, but he caught her quickly in his arms.

"Whoa, Lils," he said, holding her up by her elbows. He immediately placed a hand to her forehead. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"

She shook her head and placed her weight on her feet again becoming more in control of her body. "I'm fine, James," she told him. She could tell he didn't believe her because he sat her down on the couch and began checking her over.

It really shouldn't have come as such a surprise to her. She had been given the clues all along and she hadn't pieced together the information. Severus had even told her he thought Remus was a werewolf, but Lily had told him that he wasn't. No, she had said, Remus is too nice to be a werewolf. But Severus had been right and she had been wrong.

She looked at Remus and saw him staring worriedly at her. She didn't know what to do. Werewolves were only dangerous during the full moon and Remus was one of her best friends. It was a shock, yes, but it didn't change Remus to her. He was still the same Remus Lupin, werewolf or not, that she had known for the past seven years.

"I don't care, Remus," she said quietly, glancing around the room to see if anyone was within hearing range. When she knew there wasn't, she turned back to him. "I don't care about your furry little problem," she added, using the phrase she remembered Sirius using the night before.

Remus's eyes widened in shock and then flooded with happiness. James, however, stared at her in confusion. "How did you know?" he asked. He turned to Remus and placed his hand in the air with the other over his heart. "I didn't tell her, Moony, Marauder's honor!"

"I know, Prongs," Remus muttered, pulling James's hand down. He turned to Lily with a questioning expression. "How long have you known?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged, her eyes landing on the book concealed at Remus's side. "I think I've always known, but I only just realized it."

She found Remus staring at her, as if contemplating what he was going to do. She looked back at him with unwavering certainty because she knew he was searching her for a single moment of fear in her eyes that he would use against her. If he saw it, he'd leave, he'd ignore her, and he'd avoid her at all cost, so she kept her eyes focusing on him. He slouched into the couch after a few moments.

"You're incredibly kind, Lily," Remus said quietly, almost guiltily.

"No," she said smiling. "I'm your friend."

The three started a conversation about the upcoming quidditch match as students began arriving back to the castle from Hogsmeade. Groups of third years arrived first and the stragglers were the sixth and seventh years. Once the Gryffindors were filling the common room with boisterous noise and lavish conversation, making it hard to hear themselves talk, they walked out of the room and to dinner. As the Gryffindors always seemed to be late to meals, especially on Hogsmeade weekends, they found the table rather empty. The other three were full of students already diving into plates of food.

Suddenly, there was a loud yell and the three turned to see Peter running as fast as he could toward the Gryffindor table. His little legs were scurrying across the floor with great speed. But his robes were a bit long for him and he tripped, sending himself flying across the floor. The boy running behind him, a boy Lily knew as Mulciber and was one of Severus's friends, slowed to a walk and knelt down over the cowering Peter, stepping on his hand.

"That will teach you to transform my robes, you little rat!" Mulciber cried, turning on his heel to the Slytherin table.

Peter stood dejectedly and sat down beside Remus. Lily, James, and Remus all stared at the boy in shock. "What'd you do to make Mulciber so mad, Wormtail?" James asked.

"I tried to change his robes into Gryffindor robes," Peter said quietly, sighing as he grabbed a biscuit off the table. "But I didn't do the spell right and he caught me."

James rolled his eyes and even Remus sighed in frustration. "You'll get it next time," James shrugged unenthusiastically. "Hopefully," he added under his breath.

The hall became eerily quiet and then there were high pitched gossipy whispers. Lily looked up to find Sirius and Michelle walking into the Great Hall, the last to come back from Hogsmeade. They were hand in hand, making Michelle the most hated girl in Hogwarts. A few spots down the table, Lily heard a fifth year girl say to her friends, "Ha! I told you I saw them together!"

The two sat down at the table beside Lily and James. Michelle and Sirius both had wide grins on their faces, having obviously enjoyed their day together. Sirius kept his arm around her, much to the dismay of the female population of Hogwarts that had thought they might get lucky since he hadn't dated for nearly ten months. Lily rolled her eyes. They thought he'd be desperate enough to date anyone.

But, Lily knew better. He'd grown up. They all had.

"Hey, Wormy, what's up with you?" Sirius asked, noticing Peter's downcast eyes.

"He tried to prank Mulciber," James explained as Peter opened his mouth to talk. "It didn't work out so well. He tried to turn the git's robes into Gryffindor robes, only managed to get chased around the castle."

"Wormtail!" Sirius groaned. "That's a first year prank! Are you trying to destroy the Marauders' name?"

Peter didn't look up from his meal. He continued to eat quickly, keeping his eyes down and away from Sirius like a child who had disappointed his father. James hit Sirius's arm and nodded in Peter's direction, but Sirius merely shrugged and turned his attention to Michelle.

The rest of the night was spent with the seventh years chatting amicably about their days. Remus spoke little, pushing his food around his plate, but it didn't matter because Sirius did most of the talking.

"Do you want to know who we saw in Hogsmeade today?" Michelle said after Sirius took a break from talking to eat some of the food on his plate. "Lucius Malfoy."

Lily remembered Lucius well. He had been six years older than her and in Slytherin, but he had been especially fond of tormenting her and Ivy, as well as the other young muggleborns she knew. Severus had looked up to him, which caused her a lot of pain in her first year. Last she heard of Lucius Malfoy was that he was married to Sirius's cousin Narcissa.

"Well, he was searching Hogsmeade for someone," Michelle continued. "You could tell he wanted to find whoever it was. He knocked over the owner of Dervish and Banges and didn't even notice."

Sirius looked up from his meal and eyed the Slytherin table before looking at his friends. "It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he was on a mission from You-Know-Who."

"You really think if You-Know-Who wants something here he'll send Lucius Malfoy?" Lily asked carefully.

Sirius nodded solemnly. "Well, think about it. Dumbledore's the only person he ever feared, so he won't come here himself. Better send someone he trusts, and believe me, the only people he trusts more than the Blacks are the Malfoys."

The conversation was ended there. Ivy walked in near the end of dinner, skipping in between the rows of students to get to her friends. It was a happy moment in a time of desperate fear. She looked up at James and frowned when she noticed he was extremely quiet with worry in his eyes.

Dinner ended and the different groups went their ways. Remus took Peter to their dorm in attempts of fixing his spellwork. Ivy skipped to the Owlery with a letter she had written to Chris earlier that afternoon. Michelle and Sirius went off together, leaving James and Lily. He looked at her when they were the only Gryffindors left at the table.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asked, standing and taking her hand. "We could walk around until curfew."

"Yeah," Lily said. "Let's just walk."

Walking with James had easily become one of her favorite activities. Throughout the adventures, Lily would learn a lot about James and he in turn would learn about her. But, there was something different in James's persona. He walked quicker and his eyes darted around the corridors as if on the lookout. She was lead to the portrait of Beulah and they entered their common room quickly. They didn't stop to talk. Not only was Beulah tired, it was past her bedtime, but Lily didn't think James would stop to talk even if she had been wide awake.

He nearly pulled her to the couch and sat down, bringing her into his lap. He held on to her tightly and she looked up into his face. "James, what's wrong?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he took her head in his hands and brought her face to his. He kissed her forcefully and urgently, as if it was the last kiss he would ever give her. She pulled away and looked into his hazel eyes. "You're scared," she said knowingly.

"It's real, Lily," he told her quietly. "How do I know that I won't wake up and find out that you're gone?"

"I'm not going anywhere." She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his chest. His heart was beating quickly in his chest. "We're safe, James."

He looked up at her skeptically and sighed. "Padfoot is right. You-Know-Who wants something, that's why he sent Malfoy. And, don't you find it odd that Snape was following us today and then Padfoot and Michelle come in and say they saw Malfoy?"

She shook her head immediately. "Severus was just following me. He's just–"

"He's a Slytherin and a Death Eater!" James exclaimed. Lily looked away from him and he grabbed her chin. "I know he was your friend, but Lily times have changed. I don't want to lose you. I love you. I love you more than anything in the world!"

She rested her head on his forehead. "I know. I love you too." She sighed quietly. "But if Sirius is right, then he's right about Hogwarts being safe."

"I know," James muttered quietly. "I know, it's just…"

"You're worrying," she answered for him. "Everyone is."

They stayed in the Head's common room until curfew when they were forced to leave. Remus was on duty that night and ran into them on their way back. He gave them a hint on which corridor Filch was in so they could avoid it. They made it back to the common without getting caught. As Lily tried to go up her staircase, James pulled her back into his arms, kissing her and hugging her as he had in the Head common room. Lily heard a few first year girls, "aww," not understanding the situation.

"James, we'll be fine," she told him. "I promise."

He nodded. "I suppose you're right. I don't know why I'm letting this get to my head."

She smiled and told him goodnight before escaping up the girls' staircase. When she arrived, Michelle and Ivy were already in their pajamas and lying on Michelle's bed. Michelle was obviously telling her about her date with Sirius, as she had the look of new love in her eyes.

"Oh, Lily, I was just telling Ivy about my date with Sirius," Michelle confirmed when Lily approached.

"How was it?" Lily asked, already knowing the answer.

Michelle sighed. "Wonderful," she said. "You'd never know it, but Sirius is a real gentleman."

"Well, he really fancies you!" Ivy giggled, rolling about the bed with excitement. "You two are so cute together!"

A flush of crimson flooded Michelle's cheeks and Lily sat down as she began where she left off. They had explored Hogsmeade together and had gone to various stores. But, it was when they arrived back at Hogwarts that she explained in more detail.

"Oh, it was so perfect," Michelle sighed. "We were walking up to the castle and he stopped me. Then, he looked down and told me something about the moonlight and my hair or something, I honestly can't remember because I was trying to tell my heart to beat normally and my mind was out of control. Then he kissed me and it was perfect!"

She fell backwards onto her pillow and gave a contented sigh at the memory. Lily smiled, knowing what she was feeling like. It felt like walking on air.

The door to their dormitory opened and she turned. Cecily walked in the room, eying the group for a moment, rooted in her spot. "I heard about you and Black," she muttered to Michelle. "Congratulations, you finally got your wish."

She grabbed her pajamas and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her with a small click. Lily frowned. She knew James wouldn't talk, especially now, so she decided if she was going to find out anything, it would come from Cecily. When the girl walked out, Lily opened her mouth to ask, but Cecily merely stared at her with cerulean eyes before sitting in her bed and closing the curtains around her.

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**So, she found out about Remus. You'll start to see some parallels with what the characters say when they get older (like Remus said in here that Lily's incredibly kind and in the series he tells Harry that his mother was 'an incredibly kind woman'), just thought I'd let you know.**

**So what do you think now? And, the inevitable Severus Snape question that always occurs: good or evil?**

**Review!**


	23. Part I: Valentine

**Thanks for the reviews! As always they were lovely. **

**Here's the next chapter!**

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Part I: Valentine

There was a small buzzing noise which woke Lily from her slumber. She sat up in bed and quickly rubbed her eyes, wondering what the noise could have been. When the blurriness of sleep had been rubbed away, her eyes spotted a red heart floating above her bed. It appeared to be buzzing because it wanted to say something, so Lily reached toward it. At her touch, the heart began to sing a horribly off-key rendition of "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue" that woke her friends.

"Lily!" Michelle groaned, throwing her pillow at the singing heart. "What is that?"

She shrugged, not knowing what to call the little heart. When it had finished, it bounced around happily. Lily rolled her eyes, wondering how James could have come up with it. It burst into song once more, but when it finished this time, it exploded, leaving small rose petals on the floor.

Lily sat up and noticed a vase full of redolent, white roses on her bedside table. She gasped and took it in her hands and read the card that was attached to it in red and gold ribbon. _Flowers for my own flower. Happy Valentine's Day, Prongs ;)_

A smile spread across her face as she touched the soft, white petals. She didn't know how James got the flowers into the dorm, as the staircase turned into a slide if the boys walked on it, but she assumed it was another trick under his Marauder sleeve and let it slide. She looked up to see Michelle with a gift of her own: a small stuffed dog with black fur and a rose tied around its neck. Ivy was still sleeping in her bed, curled into her covers with an innocent smile on her lips.

Lily looked at the clock beside her and saw the three girls had missed breakfast and it was nearing the time of the quidditch match. Today was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and the way the dates were this year it was played on Valentine's Day. There had been a few complaints from the Hufflepuffs on this matter, but the Gryffindors were ready and willing to play. They would have plenty of time after the game to spend with their girlfriends as they anticipated a short, easy victory.

As Lily and Michelle dragged themselves from the beds, Lily noticed Cecily's bed was already neatly made. She took her eyes away and dressed herself in Gryffindor attire to show her house pride. The last touch being one of James's quidditch sweaters he had given to her months before.

"Here, let's leave Ivy be," Michelle said, walking up to her in her own red and gold clothing. "We were up all night, and I don't think we _could_ wake her up if she didn't wake up to that horrible singing!"

Lily nodded, giggling slightly at the remembrance of the singing heart. It was true that someone who slept through the singing had to be extremely tired. The girls had spent the night talking, mostly about Michelle's date with Sirius with tidbits about James and Chris as well from Lily and Ivy. They walked down the staircase and through the vacant halls. There were barely any students roaming the halls. Only those dressed in green and silver ties seemed to be still in the castle, although there weren't many of them either. All the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors were already at the pitch, ready for the match to begin.

It seemed that the two girls had impeccable timing, as the match had just begun when they found their spots beside Remus and Peter. Lily noticed James, and Sirius as well although she wasn't looking for him, look over at the stands and smile when he saw her. With his game face on, he stole the quaffle from a burly Hufflepuff and raced to goal. Gryffindor was ahead ten to nothing.

The score increased in a similar pattern. The Hufflepuffs hadn't practiced as much as the Gryffindors and didn't have as much natural talent either. James had the boys practicing in every different type of weather and so often that it was hard for other teams to book the pitch. The Gryffindors wanted the cup that year and the seven boys were determined to get it for them.

The match actually began to get boring for the Gryffindors. After a while, the Hufflepuffs stopped playing and it was merely the James Potter show. Lily had to admit, a person could only watch James score so many times before it was apparent he wasn't fully enjoying it either. At one point, he tossed the quaffle to a Hufflepuff who looked at it as if he didn't know what to do with it. Sirius and the other Gryffindor beater Damien Kirke were playing pass with a bludger.

"Where's the snitch?" Lily asked. Remus just shrugged. He was leaning against the fence of the pitch and fiddling with a splinter that was becoming loose in the wood.

The game ended abruptly with Anthony Swithen catching the snitch and immediately flying his broom to the ground. He passed it to James and ran off toward the locker room, practically taking off his scarlet robes on the way. The other players followed suit. The sky was darkening overhead and a storm seemed to be approaching.

Lily and Michelle walked to the corridor by the locker room with Remus and Peter. It was relatively quiet when the four arrived as the players were already done changing and James was locking the door. Sirius walked up to Michelle, taking her into his arms and kissing her gently. "I'm sorry this took all day," he said earnestly.

"That's okay," she said. She put on a fake grin. "It was fun."

"Yeah, right," James sighed, walking up with his shoulders slumped. "Even the Hufflepuffs knew it was horrible. The snitch was hiding for four hours! It ruined Valentine's Day for everyone but the Slytherins."

"Irony in its cruelest form," Sirius said wistfully. He lift Michelle onto his back and gave her a piggyback ride down the hallway. "They who can't love can enjoy the holiday, while those who can are force to watch the most boring quidditch game in world history."

They walked into the Great Hall and Lily's stomach began to growl. James laughed and sat her down on the bench, piling food on her plate. As she ate, she felt eyes on her. Looking around she couldn't see who it was and tried to ignore it. But the feeling intensified.

She looked over at the Slytherin table and looked for Severus, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. She glanced down her own table, but Cecily was eating by herself as usual with her back to the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors. It was then that she thought she was imagining it.

Lily pulled her gift for James out of her pocket and enlarged it. It was a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. She handed it to him with a wink and he smirked, knowing the significance of the box. It had been his Christmas gift to Petunia and Vernon. He had jinxed it so they would only get the bad flavors and she had taken the idea from him. Instead of bad flavors, every bean he ate would be his favorite.

"Lily," Michelle said, trying to get her attention.

She turned away from James to her friend, but her attention wasn't focused on the blonde who was nearly in Sirius's lap. Standing at the end of the Slytherin table was a tall man with long blond hair and a permanent glare. She looked into the steel eyes of Lucius Malfoy and felt her body run cold. The man was watching them, but more specifically Lily and James. He quietly nodded his head to her and left the room.

"Lily?"

She turned away from the place Malfoy had once stood and looked at her friends. They all looked concerned at her and James was watching her in morbid fear. She smiled up at them. "Yeah?" she asked as if nothing had happened.

"Are you sure you're okay," James asked, pulling her to him gently. "Are you getting sick?"

"I'm fine," she said, but he didn't believe her. She knew he was worried, but she could take care of herself. "I promise," she hissed quietly to the rest of the table.

"Here, I'll take you up to Gryffindor Tower," James offered, standing and holding out his hand for her to take. She did and the icy exterior melted away. She hated that James had the ability to do that to her.

They walked up to the castle in silence and when they arrived there were loud masses of students filling the common room. James shook his head. "Here, we can go up to my dorm for now," he said leading the way to the boys' staircase.

She had never been into the boys' dorms before. It was against the rules, technically, but everyone did it, or so she heard. He opened the final door on the stairs and she walked inside.

Remus's bed was obviously the last on the right. The books were neatly piled on the desk beside his bed. Sirius's was the last on the left with his clothes discarded around the bed and the covers barely alive; they appeared to be chewed. Peter's bed was beside Remus's and had the curtains drawn around it. James's was beside Sirius's. James seemed to be the happy median between neat-freak Remus and messy Sirius.

She sat down and looked to the door. James had shut it and was leaning against it. He looked at her questioningly. "What has you so worried?" he asked quietly.

"What are you talking about?" She stared at him with a confused expression on her face and raised an eyebrow.

He chuckled. "Oh, come on, Lily. You don't think I actually thought you were sick. I know when you get sick," he said walking toward her. "Something was bothering you, that's why I made that scene, to bring you up here. What's wrong?"

She looked up at him. Sometimes, she felt he knew her better than she knew herself. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and she leaned into his embrace. "It's just…Lucius Malfoy was looking at us."

"Lucius Malfoy?" he asked. "He's still here?"

"Apparently," Lily said quietly, playing with his thumb. "Why would he be looking at us?"

James's body shook with chuckles. "Maybe You-Know-Who has us on his list," he joked. "Or maybe he's decided to let a muggleborn be a Death Eater. I doubt it's anything bad, he's probably just trying to creep us out. You said so yourself last night, Hogwarts is safe and I'm going to believe that."

She shook her head slowly. "You're probably right, I mean, You-Know-Who wouldn't want two Gryffindors as Death Eaters," she said. "But, I don't know…maybe I'm overreacting."

"I'll protect you, Lily," he whispered in her ear. "I'll die for you."

"Please don't," she told him sincerely, staring at the quidditch poster hanging on the far wall. "I'd rather you be alive_ with_ me than dead for me."

He nodded, kissing the base of her neck. She sucked in a deep intake of breath. "I agree," he murmured against her skin, slowly moving his lips up her neck until they were on her jaw. Her heart was beating twice as fast as it should have been and she squeezed her eyes shut. "I never want to leave you, Lils," he mumbled.

"Good," Lily said, finally finding her voice as James leaned back onto the bed and pulled her down on top of him. She looked into his eyes and smiled, pushing his hair back from his forehead. She kissed it and then traced a line down the side of his face. "I don't want you to leave me either."

She curled up in his strong arms and they enjoyed each other's embrace. It wasn't before long that Lily heard the storming of feet on the stairs. She didn't move and merely lay at James's side, keeping her arms around him. The door opened and Sirius barreled in. He stopped by James's bed and nodded to Lily while pointing at his best friend. She looked up and saw that James had fallen asleep.

"I guess the match wore him out," Peter said quietly as he and Remus approached the bed.

Sirius grinned. "Yeah, or another type of game," he muttered, winking to Lily. He barked with laughter before jumping on his bed. He stretched in the already unmade covers and sighed happily. Remus rolled his eyes and turned to Lily.

"If you want to go, we'll make sure that he doesn't sleep like this," he said, acknowledging James's current position with his legs hanging over the side of the bed.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "We'll put ickle-Jamsie to bed."

Lily smiled and kissed James lightly before she left the room, waving to the Marauders as they lifted the limp James into a more comfortable position in his bed.

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**So, what do you think? Lucius is a creepy Slytherin (well, ex-Slytherin) too!**

**Review!**


	24. Part I: Order

**Thanks for the reviews! I love them. Here's the next chapter (almost 3000 words too) and, sorry, there's no Cecily. She'll come soon, I promise!**

**I wasn't going to update this because I just posted this morning, but you guys reviewed so much that I just couldn't help it. Besides, the update I did today should have been yesterday, but the submissions wouldn't work...that's my excuse!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Order

The Daily Prophet seemed to be the bringer of bad news. Every day the front page spoke of rising terror in the world. Muggle villages were destroyed, leaving only decay and destruction in its wake. Inside the safe stone walls of Hogwarts, the students were beginning to feel the effects. Sirius stopped looking at the paper in general as there were always stories written of his old family members. People who had originally looked up to him, cowered in fear thinking he would end up like his cousin Bellatrix, who had risen in the ranks to one of Voldemort's top Death Eaters. Remus and Peter, on the other hand, were constantly searching the obituaries for names they knew, hoping they wouldn't find their parents.

As February faded into the muddy month of March, the students began to get scared. The attacks were getting closer and closer to Hogwarts. It was not uncommon to find a first year crying in the common room late at night, wanting their parents and scared to be away from home. By the time James's birthday rolled around at the end of March, many parents were beginning to pull their children from the school, much to Dumbledore's dismay.

His theory was that the students were safer in numbers, and especially inside the castle, the one place Voldemort himself wouldn't venture to. But, parents didn't want their children out of their sights and decided to run the risk. By April first, the percentage of students that were muggleborn was increasing, as their parents knew very little about what was happening. Pureblooded Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were the first to go, but throughout, Gryffindor and Slytherin tower seemed to stay fairly full of their students.

On the first Saturday in April, Sirius and James took Lily and Michelle out of the common room to show them something. It was Remus's turn to help Peter study for the NEWTS in the library. The other two Marauders had taken this time to blindfold their girlfriends and lead them through the castle grounds. Lily didn't have a clue what the two were doing.

"Where are you taking us?" Lily asked. She could feel the dampness of the room around her and felt slightly claustrophobic. Michelle shrieked behind her and she heard Sirius laugh, telling her it was only a drip of water. "Are we outside?"

"Relax, Lils," James replied, his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Trust us."

"It's hard trusting Marauders," Michelle grumbled.

All Lily could see was the darkness of the blindfold. She knew her hands were tied behind her back and that she had no control over where James was taking her. Finally, the darkness subsided and her blindfold brightened slightly. She could tell she was outside as she felt the sunlight on her skin. They walked along a dirt path for a few minutes before they stopped and a door creaked open. James lead her up the stairs.

"Alright, take off your blindfolds!" Sirius exclaimed.

Lily reached for the fabric around her eyes and her eyes widened. They were in a small, dark room that was obviously not in Hogwarts. The walls were made of wood and there was a set of furniture that seemed to have been chewed and shredded. Lily looked at James questionably. "Where are we?" she asked.

"The Shrieking Shack," he asked with a sly smirk.

"No," Michelle said, looking from James to Sirius. "There's no way. They would have caught us going to Hogsmeade. You know Filch watches out for kids trying to sneak off."

Sirius and James shared a quick glance before Sirius shrugged. James reached into his robes as his friend began to speak. "What if there was no way for Filch to know?" he asked.

"Well it's kind of obvious," Lily stated. "Four students, including James Potter and Sirius Black, walking toward the gates of Hogsmeade sounds kind of suspicious to me."

James chucked behind her. He took a piece of blank parchment out of his robe pocket and threw it on the table. "What if there was no way Filch could have seen us?" he asked cryptically.

Lily and Michelle turned to each other in confusion, then back to James. "That's just a bit of parchment," Michelle scoffed. "Who cares?"

"Who cares?" Sirius exclaimed, walking forward and taking out his wand. "You'll care, once you see this." He pointed his wand at the parchment and whispered a few work. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Suddenly, burgundy ink began to appear soaking through the parchment. It was no longer just a bit of blank parchment, but instead something of relative importance. At the top in scrawl Lily recognized as Remus's, read, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present," and within a castle the sentence continued, "The Marauder's Map."

"A complete map of Hogwarts," Sirius said proudly. "It's one of Prongs's most brilliant ideas."

"You made a map of Hogwarts?" Michelle asked, just as Lily looked at James in disbelief, saying, "Hogwarts is unplottable. It can't be put on a map"

James nodded. "Yes, Hogwarts is unplottable, but only on a map with reference to something else." He opened it gently to show the girls. "See, this is a map of Hogwarts, and Hogwarts only. Hogsmeade's not even on here."

"Yes, we found a loophole," Sirius added with a smirk. "And, we've got a great feature on here that shows were everyone is in the castle. See, Moony and Wormy are still in the library…actually, it looks like Pince is kicking them out of the library."

"You see, this is how the Marauders have been getting in and out of Hogsmeade and pulling pranks without getting caught since…fifth year, right, Padfoot?" James explained, looking for Sirius to back up his facts.

"Right, Prongs!" Sirius barked, leaning backwards onto the bed in the room with a smile.

Lily looked at the map in awe. It was impressive that four fifth years could make a map with such detail and precision. She had always known James and Sirius were the cleverest boys in their year, possibly even the school, but she didn't think they'd be able to make something of this caliber. But, then, add in Remus who was equally clever and smart, and Peter to give them encouragement and the Marauder's Map was made.

"So, we're in Hogsmeade right now," Michelle said, testing out the words on her tongue. "And it's not a Hogsmeade weekend."

"Correct you are, my darling," Sirius said, still on the bed with his hands behind his head. "All thanks to the Marauder's Map."

Lily nodded. "So that's how you haven't been caught. You see Filch on the map and you pull out the invisibility cloak."

James smiled and folded the map up so only the front was showing. "Yes, that is how the Marauders have been working for the past couple years. And it has been great, because we're going down as the biggest troublemakers in history."

"And that's an accomplishment?" she asked trying to hide her laughed.

"What do you think, Lily?" Sirius asked in disbelief. "He's a Marauder, not a Hufflepuff."

Because they were in Hogsmeade, the four decided to make the best of their trip. First James wiped the map by saying, "mischief managed," telling Lily and Michelle that anyone would be able to look at it if he left it out. The little wizarding village was lifeless compared to what it was like when the students were allowed down. There were a few wizards from the village and people shopping, and the four students looked quite out of place.

As they were walking toward the Three Broomsticks, James stuck his arm out to stop the other three. They looked up at him curiously, but he merely nodded to the entrance. "Look," he said.

Lily turned and saw Professor Dumbledore walking into the pub with a few people she knew of vaguely. There was a square-jawed wizard with blond hair that looked like straw that she recognized as Sturgis Podmore. He had been two years ahead of her in school. Beside Sturgis was an auror with a fake eye that was roaming around, searchingly.

"What's Mad-Eye doing here?" James asked, looking more to Sirius than the others.

Sirius shrugged and pointed to two redheaded men. "And the Prewetts; Fabien and Gideon are there too."

A look of surprise passed across James's face. "Do you think this could be the Order?"

"The Order?" Sirius asked. "What Order?"

"The Order Dumbledore was telling my father about two summers ago," James said, looking back toward the door to the pub. It was shut and all the older wizards had gone inside. "Do you think that could be it?"

A glint sparkled in Sirius's eyes. "You never know?" he said. "Do you have the cloak? We could check it out."

James nodded and pulled a miniture version of the infamous cloak from his pocket. "The question is: when do I ever leave without it?" he asked, pointing his wand to it in order to return it to its original size.

"That's eavesdropping," Michelle hissed as James covered the four with the cloak. "If Dumbledore ever caught us…"

"He won't," Sirius reassured her. "I promise, he doesn't even know about this."

They walked into the pub and snuck inside, following the last of the Order members into a small room. Madam Rosemerta was just about to shut the door behind them when the four students hurried in. They sat against the wall, trying to keep themselves completely covered and quiet.

Lily didn't know many of the people in the meeting, but later was told by James who they were. Edgar Bones sat beside Dumbledore on one side and one the other was Alastor Moody, or Mad-Eye as James had called him earlier. Caradoc Dearborn sat beside Bones and beside him was Benjy Fenwick. Aberforth Dumbledore, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, and Mundungus Fletcher were also seated around the table. The only people Lily knew were Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, and Frank and Alice Longbottom – who had been Gryffindors a few years ahead of her and very nice people who had gone on to be aurors.

"I think you all know why we are here today," Dumbledore started.

"He's starting to attack blood-traitors now, Albus," Moody said, his eye circling the room. "We have to increase our attacks or we're going to have a lot more unnecessary deaths on our hands."

"I agree," Doge said. "It's just a matter of time before Voldemort starts attacking us. I'm surprised he hasn't already, actually."

Bones nodded. "He's stopping his recruitment now. He thinks he has enough people at his commands to start a full invasion and rebellion."

There was an argument that ensued over the course of action the order was to take. Dumbledore just sat back and watched them battle back and forth over what was the best thing to do. Lily saw that he knew what he was doing. In this room, the best wizards were together trying to figure out how to stop Voldemort from rising to power. She had thought it had been a rumor that Dumbledore was making an underground team.

"Wait!" Moody yelled, standing up. His eye was circling the room at record speed. "There's someone here that's not one of us!"

Four pairs of eyes under the invisibility cloak widened. The Order members began to shake their heads, telling Moody he was nuts. Fletcher even called out "constant vigilance!" in a mocking tone. Moody just glared at him before turning to Dumbledore. "There's someone in here!"

"That's just mad," Hagrid cried. "There's no way anyone could be in here."

Dumbledore nodded his head and turned toward the four students under the invisibility cloak. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, you can come out now," he said in a knowing voice.

James and Sirius's eyes widened even further. They didn't know Dumbledore knew about the cloak. Very quietly, James told Lily to cast disillusionment charms on herself and Michelle so if he needed to take the cloak they would still be invisible before walking out from under the cloak with Sirius.

"Potter! Black!" McGonagall yelled, not believing she was seeing them with her eyes. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

"Funny story really," Sirius said rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "You see–"

"I don't want to hear it!" McGonagall screamed, standing up to scold them. "It's not a Hogsmeade weekend. You two shouldn't even be down here!"

"How did yeh know they were there, Professor?" Hagrid asked, trying to save James and Sirius from the wrath of McGonagall. She seemed interested in this and sat back down, watching Dumbledore curiously.

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes sparkled as he turned to James and Sirius. "How many other students have an invisibility cloak?" he asked, looking James in the eye. James let his eyes fall to the floor.

"We just…" Sirius tried to say, but nothing seemed to come out. Dumbledore was the only person in the whole school, Lily realized, that could make Sirius and James feel like they had disappointed him. He was a very powerful man.

"We remembered you telling my father about this…Order. We thought this could be it, so we came inside to see what it was all about," James explained, looking up.

Dumbledore nodded his head, but Moody wasn't finished with them. He was glaring at them, long and hard, with his fake eye perfectly still. "So, you two decided to eavesdrop on an adult conversation!" he roared gruffly. "This is a matter that will go way over your heads. Seventeen years old and you think–"

"Actually, we're eighteen," James corrected, which turned out to be the worst thing to say.

"Eighteen," Moody said softly. "Eighteen years old and you think you're on top of the world. Well guess what, Potter, you're not! You're far from it! If you were even half as practical as your father was!"

"Alastor," Dumbledore said, but his attempt to calm the man down was in vain.

"The two of you should be ashamed of yourselves!" He said, ignoring Dumbledore. "And you want to be aurors! Large shoes to walk in, Potter. Your father was one of the best aurors I knew. I learned a lot from him before he went to work in the office long before you were even born!"

Dumbledore placed his hand on Moody's forearm and looked to James and Sirius. "That is enough, Alastor. I think the boys get the point. Now, you two, I suggest you get back up to the castle before Filch finds out where you are."

"Yes, Professor," Sirius said, turning to go to the door.

"But, Professor, we're eighteen," James complained. "We're old enough to fight You-Know-Who! We want to join!"

"Potter, you can't even say his name," Moody hissed. "How can you say you want to fight when you still can't say his proper name and haven't had any training? All of us are aurors if you haven't noticed. You're just an immature schoolboy!"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "We will talk after your graduation, James," he said, stressing the use of his given name. Dumbledore walked to him and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But for the moment, just enjoy the rest of your childhood. You will have the rest of your life to be an adult."

"Come on, Prongs," Sirius urged. "Let's go."

James nodded and walked to the girls, pretending to pick up his invisibility cloak off the floor. Lily watched Dumbledore and was quite sure he knew James wasn't picking up the cloak. Nevertheless, she and Michelle stood, running as quietly as they could for the door and remained under the cloak until they were far enough away from the Three Broomsticks that the four couldn't be seen by any onlookers. James and Sirius led them to the tunnel and they walked inside, heading back to Hogwarts.

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**Okay, so I looked up the first Order and I think those are all the names, except of course for Lily and the rest because they haven't joined. I left out Marlene McKinnon as well.**

**You've met Moody too, now! And you're finally seeing Dumbledore interact with them.**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	25. Part I: Hidebound

**Sorry I couldn't get this up yesterday. Lacrosse has started and I have to start working on my time management skills.**

**This isn't as long as I would have liked it to be, but…I hope you enjoy it!**

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Part I: Hidebound

The events surrounding the escape into Hogsmeade weren't discussed except when the four seventh years were in private. They didn't want any teacher to hear and give them a reason to take away the Marauder's Map or James's cloak. But, because the events weren't talked about, didn't mean they didn't use the map and cloak.

In fact, now that Lily and Michelle knew about them, James and Sirius were constantly using the two items around them. James showed Lily all the secret passageways and took her outside at night to look at the stars under the invisibility cloak. There were three that James said Filch knew about and guarded safely so the Marauders wouldn't use it. "He wants to catch us with the map so bad," James told her after he had shown her the final passageway. The first two weeks of April were perfect and Lily hoped it could continue.

"So, what are your plans now?"

Lily looked up. She had been doing some studying for the NEWTS on her bed. Michelle was standing over her, a sincere expression on her face, while Ivy looked over from her own bed. Cecily was also in the room, sitting on her bed trying to ignore the other girls.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, closing her books. She had a feeling that she wouldn't be studying anymore that night.

"What are your plans? You know, the ones we all thought were morbid before," Michelle said, sitting where Lily's papers had once been. "They have to be different. I mean, you have James now."

Ivy's head had lifted up and she smiled. "Yeah, Lily," she agreed. "Last we heard you weren't getting married until you were, like, thirty. Somehow I doubt James will go for that."

Lily glanced over to Cecily quickly. She was looking at Lily with interest in her eyes, but it was apparent she was trying not to care. She finally looked down at her work and Lily turned back to her friends. Michelle and Ivy were both sitting on her bed now, looking up at her in curiosity.

"Why the sudden interest in my plans?" she asked, placing her book on the ground.

Michelle shrugged. "I was just thinking about after Hogwarts and everything, and Sirius, when I remembered your plans and wondered if they had changed."

Ivy turned to Michelle. "Wait, you were thinking about Sirius as…."

A blush spread across Michelle's cheeks and Lily smiled at her friend's response. "I mean, we've only been together for two and a half months but I feel like we've been together forever," Michelle said the two girls quietly. "And last night he told me he loved me."

There was a loud shriek and Ivy fell over, landing on the floor with a loud thump. Lily rolled her eyes, but looked to Michelle with a broad grin. "Congratulations," she said, giving Michelle a hug. "Everyone can see you guys are perfect together."

Michelle nodded. "But, I don't know if he's the marrying type," she started slowly as Ivy stood up. The brown-haired girl rushed to the flower vase and pulled out a black orchid, placing it in Michelle's hair when she returned. "I mean, it doesn't matter, but…"

Lily had to admit Sirius was a rebel, but now the boy was head-over-heels for her best friend. She didn't know what Sirius had in mind, so she merely nodded, not quite agreeing yet not quite disagreeing with her friend. But, she now understood where the question came from. Michelle was wondering if it was natural to be thinking about her future with Sirius.

"You know what, my plans have changed," Lily told her friends. "I've been thinking about it and I don't think there's anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than James. I can just picture it."

"What do you picture?" Michelle asked quietly.

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. She hadn't told anyone that she had been thinking about this before. She hadn't even told James. "Well, I would marry James and we would have kids – well, boys, I don't want girls that would end up like Petunia and I – and they would look just like him. He's great with kids, you know."

Michelle nodded and Ivy watched in awe. "Have you thought about any names you like?" Ivy asked dreamily.

A laugh escaped Lily's lips. "We haven't even graduated from Hogwarts yet, Ives!" she exclaimed quietly. She looked down and shrugged, not wanting to lie to her friends. "But, I mean, who hasn't thought of names they liked," she added quickly.

The two girls looked at her wide eyed. "What are they?" Michelle asked eagerly.

"Oh, I don't know," Lily said, looking around the room. "I always wanted to name one of my kids after my father, and then there's Jamison, which means son of James. Oh, and I love the name Harry."

The two girls cooed as if they were talking to a baby. "Harry is adorable," Ivy gushed. "Could you imagine a little James running around with a name like Harry?"

The three girls giggled until there was a slamming noise. Lily looked up to find Cecily had left her books on her bed and slammed the door behind her when she disappeared from the dorm. Michelle glared at the door. "Wonder what her problem is," she sneered, obviously not caring what was bugging Cecily.

Lily looked at the clock and her eyes widened. She stood up and looked at her friends. "I have to go meet James," she told them.

"Oh, right," Ivy said. "It's your anniversary."

"He's probably got some big thing all planned out," Michelle told her with a smile. "Six months, it's impressive seems as in September you hated each other."

Lily had reached the door when she heard this. She turned around to face her friends. "Don't remind me," she said, causing them to giggle.

She walked down the stairs and looked around the common room. At first she didn't see him, but after a few glances she spotted the black haired boy. He was talking with Sirius by the fireplace and by the looks of it they were having a heated conversation. She approached cautiously.

"But, will you be okay by yourself?" James asked him.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Look, I was by myself over Christmas and I'm still alive. You just go have fun and don't worry about me."

"I just feel like I'm never with you guys anymore when…you know."

"I can handle him, I've done it before. Do I have to tell you that I don't want you there? Because I will and you know that."

Lily didn't know what they were talking about but after Sirius finished his sentence he smiled at her and waved. James turned around and his grin spread from ear to ear. "Are you ready?" he asked, walking to her and taking her hand. She nodded.

"Have fun, lovebirds!" Sirius cheered. Then he became serious. "And remember what I said, Prongs. Don't come, it's your night!"

"I won't," James shouted back. "Marauder's honor!"

Lily looked up at him curiously. As they walked farther away from the Gryffindor common room, he noticed she was watching him and looked at her. "What were you talking about?" Lily asked, trying not to sound too nosy. "What can't you go to?"

He shrugged, looking away and continued down the hall. "It was nothing, Lils. I promise. Tonight's about me and you." He draped his arm over her shoulder as they walked down the corridor. The night sky was still light and a beautiful shade of purple. They climbed a staircase and stood in front of a portrait of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls to tap-dance. James broke away from her and walked to the front of the bare wall across from the portrait. He walked back and forth three times, a look of concentration on his face. Suddenly a doorway appeared.

James turned to her with a grin. "Welcome to the Room of Requirement, Lily."

He opened the door and led her inside. Lily was awed by the place. There was a small table with candles and the lighting was dim. It was perfect. She turned to James. "How did you do this?" she asked.

"The Room of Requirement gives you whatever you need," he explained. "So really, all I did was think about what I wanted the room to look like and the room did everything else."

"It's perfect, James," she told him, kissing him gently. He grinned and lifted her so her legs were wrapped around his waist, still keeping his lips moving on hers. When they broke apart, she ran her fingers through his messy, black locks. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you more," he challenged with a twinkle in his hazel eyes.

She giggled as he set her down on her chair. He walked to the other side of the table and sat down. For a moment all they did was look at each other with complete admiration. Then they began to talk about relatively random topics, like what Beulah had told James the day before and how they felt about the upcoming NEWTS exams. But it was the conversation that Lily liked more than anything. She liked how she and James could talk about anything.

"So, Sirius told Michelle he loved her last night, I hear," Lily said.

James grinned. "Yeah, you should have heard him when he came back to the dorm. I never thought I'd get any sleep." He looked around and tried to impersonate his best friend. "_Prongs, I think she's the one. I'm crazy about her._"

"I'm surprised that Michelle didn't do that to me," Lily told him, thinking about what Michelle had told her earlier. "I don't think it really hit her until an hour ago."

He smiled, reaching across the table to grab her hands in his own. Lily used her thumb to rub his knuckles. "Sometimes I wonder when I'm going to wake up," he said quietly. "Sometimes I feel like this can't be happening that my life could take such a drastic turn for the better."

Lily stood and walked to his side, keeping her hands in his. She looked down into his eyes. "It's not a dream," she whispered, sitting down in his lap and kissing his jaw. "Believe me."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rocked them back and forth gently. His mouth was on her ear, whispering about how much he loved her and wanted to be with her forever. The words made her heart flutter and tinged her cheeks crimson. He broke away and kissed her gently on the lips.

"As much as I would love to stay here with you, I think we should head out," James muttered, his eyes closed. His face appeared to be disagreeing with everything he was saying. "I don't think McGonagall would be too happy to find out that we were skipping curfew in the Room of Requirement."

Lily nodded and stood, pulling him up with her. "Yeah, we need one rule abiding Head around her," she teased.

He raised his eyebrows as he placed his arm on her shoulders. "Sneaking around the castle's secret passageways is not a characteristic that I think of when I think of Head Girl, Miss Evans," he said with a grin.

Leaning in to his embrace, she giggled softly. The hallways were silent as they walked, the only noise being the soles of their shoes on the stone floors. They reached the Fat Lady without coming across any teacher or student out of bed and arrived just as curfew hit. The common room was deserted, only a few students still sitting on the couches. James turned to Lily and kissed her softly.

"Goodnight, Lily," he whispered, kissing her forehead and smiling down at her.

"Goodnight, James," she replied before rushing up the staircase, turning every few steps to see him watching her.

She opened the door to her dorm and wasn't surprised to hear the soft snores coming from Ivy's bed. The three girls in her dorm were sound asleep in their beds. Lily smiled and grabbed her pajamas. She took her time changing since she wasn't tired and didn't want to go to sleep. She sat on the windowsill and looked out her window.

There was a full moon surrounded by hoards of stars. Lily sighed, thinking about Remus and all he had to go through. He'd been _sick_ that day and exempt from classes, but Lily knew the true reason. She looked back at her friends, aware that they knew nothing of Remus's lycanthropy, his "furry little problem" that plagued him once a month. She wondered if he ever got lonely on the full moon.

She turned back to the window and tried to count the stars. She wanted to make herself tired so she could go to sleep. But, it just caused her to focus, making her more awake than she had been before. A howl in the distance hit her ears and she closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a wave of fatigue hit her and her eyes began to sore. She nearly fell asleep on the windowsill, but a loud bark woke her from her near slumber.

Lily opened her eyes and looked down. Coming from the direction of the Whomping Willow was a large black dog. He was running at full speed, much faster than Lily had ever seen a dog run before. As he approached the castle, something began to happen to the dog. Her eyes widened as the dog's fur began to disappear and he stood on two legs. Instead of a dog, it was now a cloaked figure with his hood on his head. Her heart began to beat faster, wondering if the man was a follower of Voldemort. A fierce wind blew and the hood fell from the figure's head.

She gasped as her eyes fell on the well-chiseled face of Sirius Black.

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**Wow, she's seen Sirius…what a way to find out, huh? And what's he running for?**

**Also, just for reference, Hidebound means stubborn or narrow-minded. It might give you a hint…speaking of hints, I gave you a hint about Cecily. Her story's going to unfold in the next few chapters.**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	26. Part I: Elucidate

**You guys are awesome! I opened my mail and there were 14 review alerts! You are all GREAT! Thanks! That's the reason you got this chapter this early (because I have a ton of homework to do...)**

**Here's the next chapter.**

**By the way, Elucidate means:****_to make clear or manifest; to render more intelligible; to illustrate; as, an example will elucidate the subject_. It was the Word of the Day and I was like, that fits perfectly for this chapter! Hence the title.**

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Part I: Elucidate

Sirius was an Animagus. She had seen it with her own eyes so he couldn't deny it. Animagus transformations were extremely complex and highly dangerous, not to mention against the rules as it was underage magic, assuming he had done it before his seventeenth birthday – as she was sure he did. And, if Sirius was an Animagus, the others probably were too. She suddenly found herself enraged that the four would do something so hazardous.

She stood and began to run out of her dorm toward the door Sirius had been running to. She knew it was past curfew and chasing after Sirius only because he was an Animagus was a dumb idea that would result in them both getting in trouble, but she felt something in her stomach telling her to go. She could beat him there if she took a few short cuts James had showed her.

As she raced toward the door, she wondered what would possess them to do such complex magic. Was it the thrill of being able to do something no one else could? Was it just a Marauder characteristic to go against every rule, even when there were strict consequences given to underage Animagi? And, of course they wouldn't be registered either, adding to the problems.

She opened a portrait that yelled at her because it had been sleeping, but she ignored it. She ran inside the tunnel that would lead her to where Sirius was going as fast as she could, hoping she wouldn't miss him. It would be close, but she was sure she could get there before him.

The tunnel was damp and wet. She had foolishly left her wand in the dorm, so she was left running through the dark. Luckily the tunnel didn't have any forks or she would have gotten lost. She began to get tired, but pushed on. The feeling of dread she had increased as she neared the end of the tunnel. She pushed open the portrait and stepped out, looking around quickly. The hallways were empty, except a small rat crawling on the stone floor.

It was an ugly and chubby rodent with light brown fur and a long winding tail. There were two loud bangs on the door and the rat squeaked twice loudly in response. He looked around with beady eyes before beginning to convulse slightly. Lily's eyes widened for only a moment before realizing what was happening. The rat wasn't a rat, but an Animagus.

Peter now stood in front of her, his wide blue eyes filling with fear upon seeing her. "Lily," he whispered, in shock of her presence. She folded her arms over her chest and watched him glance back and forth in worry.

"Open the door, Wormtail!" Sirius yelled from outside.

Peter turned away from Lily and pulled the door open. Sirius rushed in and didn't see Lily. He was muttering words quietly to himself. "I should have known he'd follow! I'm so stupid!" She could tell he was going to run past her, so she stepped in front of him. He stopped upon seeing her and took a deep intake of breath. What surprised Lily was that she gasped as well.

Sirius looked awful. His robes were torn in the sleeves and he was bleeding. His breath was ragged from running. "Sirius, what happened?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "I was just flying around and I fell–"

"She knows, Padfoot," Peter interrupted, looking down at the floor. "She saw me transform."

Sirius turned from Peter to Lily and looked at her with eyes full of emotion. His eyes were filling with tears and he pushed her back into the tunnel. "You have to go," he hissed solemnly. "You have to leave."

"No!" she demanded. "You four are–"

"Lily!" Sirius whispered as he pushed on her harder. She held her ground and didn't allow him to force her into the tunnel. "Just shut up and go back to bed," he urged.

"You four are unregistered, underage Animagi, Sirius," she hissed in response. "That's not an innocent prank anymore, it is illegal!"

Sirius tried to smirk, but he with his wet eyes it looked forced. "I'm not underage now," he whispered. "And, it's only three of us."

"I don't care!" Lily yelled. Sirius pressed his hand to her mouth and looked at her pleadingly. He raised his eyebrows, asking wordlessly if she wouldn't yell and she nodded. He took his hand from her mouth and her eyes fell to his cuts. "What happened? Why are you bleeding?" she asked in a hushed tone.

His eyes fell to the floor. "It's not that bad. Prongs…" he stopped and the name died on his tongue. Lily glanced at him curiously.

"What does James have to do with this?" she asked quietly. "He's upstairs in bed, where you two should be. Why are you out anyway? It's a full moon."

Peter, who had been silent the entire time, stood beside Sirius. "You just answered your own question."

Lily looked from the mousy boy to the owner of the strong arms that had stopped pushing her into the tunnel. Sirius looked at her with fear in his gray-blue eyes. "We're Animagi because of Moony," he whispered. "And, Prongs isn't upstairs like you think his is."

She shook her head, a smile forming on her lips. "Of course he is, I just left him," she said quietly, not believing Sirius. "I watched him go up the stairs."

She had barely finished her sentence when her heart started to accelerate. She hadn't seen him go up the staircase to his dorm. He had watched her. He had stood at the bottom until she couldn't see him anymore. She looked at Sirius and the look in his eyes made her stomach drop. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Just go back to bed, Lils," he breathed. "There's nothing you can do. You'll just get into trouble too."

Tears began to flood her eyes. Something had happened to James and Sirius wasn't going to tell her. She turned to Peter, but the boy was avoiding eye contact with her. She turned back to Sirius and looked up at him. "What happened to him?" Sirius shook his head, but she stepped toward him. "What would you do if this was Michelle and I wasn't telling you? Sirius, I have to know."

He blinked once, and she could see he was caving in. "You don't want to know," he whispered.

He kicked the wall beside him and leaned against the stone. "I told him not to come," he groaned, putting his head in his hands, his body shaking. "I should have know he'd come though. I mean, its James Potter we're talking about!"

Lily walked up to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Her chest was constricting and she found she could hardly breathe.

"I would have stopped him, Lily," Sirius said quietly, taking his head from his hands to look at her. "I could have, but I was so surprised to see Prongs that I just froze. I should have, I know that, but I didn't! It's all my fault!" He hissed the last part and hit himself in the head like a House-Elf who had disobeyed his owner.

Lily opened her mouth, but Sirius hadn't finished. "Wormy's too little to stop him, but I'm a full grown dog! I can take Moony, but I didn't. I just stared at Prongs and Moony just…luckily Prongs was already half stag by the time Moony got to him."

Peter took the pause as his turn to speak. He looked at Lily with guilty sadness. "I ran Prongs up here and Padfoot kept Moony in the Shrieking Shack to make sure he wouldn't come out and terrorize the place."

"How is he?" Sirius asked, looking up at Peter. "What'd Madam Pomfrey say?"

Peter shrugged and began to stutter. "I-I don't know, I l-left him there before Madam Pomfrey c-came out and saw me. I-I didn't want to get in t-trouble–"

"Use some of your Gryffindor courage for once, Peter!" Sirius yelled, stepping away from the wall to tower over Peter's small, chubby form. "You left your best friend in the Hospital Wing bleeding and mangled because _you_ didn't want to get in trouble! For all we know, Madam Pomfrey could be asleep and not even notice him!"

"Padfoot," Peter moaned. "Filch will hear you!"

"I don't care! I hope he finds you and hangs you by your fingernails from the ceiling," Sirius yelled even louder. Peter muttered something about yelling to the nurse before leaving, but Sirius was already angry and didn't believe him. He took off down the hallway toward the Hospital Wing at an amazing speed. Lily glanced at Peter, not knowing what to think, before chasing after Sirius, hearing Peter's wails of apology behind her.

When she arrived at the entrance to the Hospital Wing, she saw Sirius staring in the window. He backed away when heard her footsteps approaching. "I can't see anything," he told her quietly.

Peter ran up behind them after a minute, his movements slow and his breath staggered. He sat down in one of the chairs and took deep breaths. Sirius began to pace the room, repeating over and over again that it was his fault James was hurt.

The doors opened to show Professor McGonagall, dressed in her nightclothes and a foul expression. She glared at the three, but her face was as white as a sheet. "Who's going to confess?" she asked in a fierce voice. When none of them spoke, she tapped her foot on the ground. "I have never seen actions so reckless in my life! You three of all people should know not to wander around after curfew on a full moon!"

Peter squeaked in his chair and Sirius looked up. "We uh, we uh, um, we heard all the, um, stories that Moo- Remus would tell us and uh, we wanted to see, um," he said in a very un-Sirius-like manner. Lily looked at him. He was going to lie to protect their status as Animagi.

"You wanted to see a werewolf," McGonagall finished. "So you three boys went outside and followed a werewolf around on a full moon!"

"It's not Remus's fault!" Sirius exclaimed, knowing where McGonagall was taking the conversation. "He didn't know about it!"

McGonagall huffed indignantly. "Well, I should hope not! I would like to think he'd be more responsible than that! You three are lucky one of you didn't die tonight!" She sighed angrily and turned to Lily. Her eyes widened. "Miss Evans! What are you doing down here!"

Lily didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell the truth – that she had seen Sirius change from his Animagus form into a human and ran down. She didn't know what to say.

Sirius looked quickly at her before turning to their Head of House. "I went to get her. I thought she should be here," he said quickly and unconvincingly. Lily looked at him, noticing his suave demeanor had melted and replaced with a nervous manner.

McGonagall nodded, eying Sirius but not saying anything. Her mind was obviously preoccupied to be accusing Sirius of lying. The doors opened again and Professor Dumbledore stepped out with Professor Slughorn and the Defense teacher, Professor Keating. Keating was an old man with graying hair and a bent over stance. The school hadn't had one professor for the position since Lily's third year. She remembered Michelle and she had been waiting to see Dumbledore when a man with dark hair and a menacing grin strode past them, muttering something about cursing the job because Dumbledore wouldn't give him the Defense Against the Dark Arts position "as Dippet would have." Many of the students believed the position was cursed, and Lily knew it was for good reason.

"Is he okay, Professor?" Sirius asked turning to the headmaster. "Can we see him?"

Dumbledore walked to Sirius and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think now is the best time, my dear boy," he spoke softly. "He needs his rest."

"Yes, Black," Slughorn added, placing a few empty vials in the pockets of his robes. "If he's going to get better, Potter can't have everyone breathing down his neck."

"Wounds like those take ages to heal if they heal at all, Mr. Black," Keating said in his thick Irish accent when Sirius looked as if he was going to complain. "It will benefit him if you three go back to the dormitories and sleep. Mr. Lupin will be in the Hospital Wing soon anyway to keep him company."

Keating and Slughorn both walked down the hallway. Sirius swore softly under his breath. "Moony," he whispered. "He's going to feel so bad!"

"Well you three should have thought of that before you snuck out of the castle! Black, Pettigrew, I'll see you in my office tomorrow for your punishments. Potter will do his when he is well enough!" McGonagall roared. She turned her back on Sirius and stormed down the hallway.

Sirius looked up at Dumbledore. "Are you sure we can't go in for a minute, Professor? Just to see for ourselves that he's alive," Sirius pleaded.

Dumbledore looked from Sirius to Lily to Peter. The twinkle in his eyes had faded and he merely nodded his head. "You three need to go to bed, I am afraid. You can see him in the morning, as I am sure Madam Pomfrey would kick you out anyways," he told them softly. He turned and walked down the hall a few steps before turning and winking at them. "But I don't think it will harm Mr. Potter if you look inside briefly. Besides, Mr. Black, you need to get your arms healed."

They waited until Dumbledore had rounded the corner before going inside. They walked quietly to the last bed on the right. James was sleeping peacefully on the bed, his face and arms carefully bandaged and covered in thick purple potion that was bubbling. Lily didn't want to touch him, fearing that she would hurt him worse than he already was. The remains of a Dreamless Sleep Potion were on the bedside table. Madam Pomfrey walked out and glared at the three.

"It never ceases to amaze me the problems that you four cause!" she said forcefully, but quietly as not to wake James. "One of you is always in here!" Her eyes fell on Sirius's arm and she shook her head. "You too, eh?"

Sirius nodded and she began to put the purple potion that was covering James on Sirius's arms. He hissed in pain, but the potion began to work and began to steam. Before long the bleeding stopped. "I won't be surprised if you have scars," Madam Pomfrey told him. "But, yours won't be as conspicuous as Mr. Potter's."

Lily looked down at James and gently touched his hand. It was going to be a long night, she thought as Madam Pomfrey told the three they could return in the morning.

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**So, what do you think! **

**Review!**


	27. Part I: Monster

**Thanks for all the reviews guys! You're all amazing! This chapter goes out to everyone who reviewed!**

**You get a hint into Cecily in this. I know that will make a lot of you happy. :) Sorry I couldn't get this out sooner, but homework came first….not that I wanted it to, but my mother would have killed me.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Monster

Lily didn't sleep at all that night. Her mind had been plagued with thoughts of James as he had been in the bed. She would see his bandaged head, his cut up arms. She could hear him whimper even though he had been in a dreamless sleep when she had seen him. She wanted to be with him so badly that the entire night she tossed and turned.

As the morning light seeped through curtains and illuminated the dark room, Lily lay motionless under her sheets. Her eyes seemed glued to her clock. At breakfast she was going to the Hospital Wing to see James and she was going to stay there for as long as she pleased. Madam Pomfrey wasn't going to kick her out after she'd been up all night worrying.

Finally, she couldn't handle it anymore and stood. She grabbed her uniform off her trunk and walked into the bathroom to change. She quickly switched into her uniform and walked out, throwing her pajamas on her bed messily. After placing everything she would need for classes in her bag, she walked toward the door. She turned back momentarily to see that her friends were still sleeping, not knowing anything that had happened. Only Cecily's bed was empty.

She walked down the stairs and saw Sirius sitting on the couch. He was staring into the thick flames in the fireplace with a pensive expression. He looked similar to what Lily assumed she looked like: tired yet wide awake with worry. She approached him, but his eyes continued to follow the flames as they jumped up and down.

"Are you going down now?" he asked quietly, not taking his focus from the fire.

"Yeah," she responded. "Would you like to come?"

He shook his head. "I'm going to wait for, Wormtail," he said softly. Lily looked at him questioningly, wondering why he'd wait for Peter when the previous night he wanted nothing to do with the boy. Sirius seemed to sense this, as he added, "I feel bad for yelling at him. He doesn't know any better."

Lily nodded and exited the room. It was odd walking through Hogwarts when nearly everyone else was sound asleep. The only noise she could hear were the soles of her shoes hitting stone floor and echoing through the castle.

She walked down the hallways and stopped when she heard a light sniffle. She turned to the portrait that guarded the entrance to the Head common room and sighed. Beulah was sitting on the grass, crying into her hands. Lily sighed and the little girl looked up with her bright blue eyes shining with unshed tears. She sniffled and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her pink dress.

"Joey said that last night he saw James get brought to the Hospital Wing," Beulah cried. Lily knew the portrait of Joey the Joker; he was outside the Hospital Wing and would have been in viewing range of James's arrival the night before. He and Beulah were friends, as they were two of only a few children in the portraits of Hogwarts. "James isn't going to die, is he?" she asked miserably.

Lily shook her head. "No, but he's hurt really badly," she said, trying to put it as lightly as she could for the six-year-old.

Beulah nodded, but the tears continued to stream down cheeks. "Do you promise, Lily?" she asked quietly. She knew that Beulah and James got along very well. She and James had a very good relationship and Lily could see that the young girl looked up to James.

"I promise, Beulah," Lily told the girl. "I would never lie to you."

Beulah sniffled again and let a small smile creep onto her lips. "Okay, Lily, I believe you," she answered, her childhood lisp obscuring some of the words. "Are you going to see him?" When Lily nodded, Beulah asked if she would tell him that she hoped he would "get better really soon."

Lily smiled at the little girl's words. "Of course," she said before turning off and heading to the Hospital Wing.

She pushed open the doors of the wing and it was eerily quiet. She assumed Madam Pomfrey was at breakfast, wanting to eat before the students awoke and came to her with their problems. Remus was sleeping in one of the beds closest the door. She had never seen him directly after a full moon and now understood why the scars on his face never seemed to heal completely. He looked as if he had scratched himself into oblivion the night before and wondered if it had anything to do with not having the Marauders as company. When they had learned of werewolves in Defense Against the Dark Arts, they had taught that werewolves were better behaved when in the presence of other animals.

She walked passed Remus and toward the back of the room. As she approached James's curtained off bed she heard soft, harsh whispering and opened the curtains only so she could see in and they couldn't see her. She was surprised to find the glossy, black locks of Cecily Van Buren standing over James's bedside.

"Why do you always ruin everything?" she hissed, walking closer to him and pointing a finger.

"How?" James asked in a clearly weak voice. He should still be sleeping, Lily thought. She could barely hear what he was trying to say and he was putting forth too much effort.

Cecily shook her head angrily. "Oh, you always find a way," she told him. She crossed her arms over her chest. "This time you followed a werewolf! How stupid can you get, James?"

Lily watched James roll his eyes, but Cecily didn't see. She continued her rant as if she wasn't even looking at him. "Yes, I know, very stupid. You and Black probably had all this planned from your very first year!" She paused and took a deep breath. "And now you've given my parents all the ammunition they need!"

"How did they know?" he demanded, trying to force the words out without much luck.

Cecily laughed cruelly. "You forget, James. My parents know everything. They're even nosier than you are," she said fiercely. "What with that and my grandparents, you should be surprised I'm even here."

"Why are you?" James sneered with hatred filling his voice. "You don't care about me anymore, Cecily, and you haven't since the summer before first year. So, why are you here?"

The words seemed to put him out and she walked to his side. She looked down at him at him with a mixed look of concern and disgust. She opened her mouth, but stopped and looked away, as if she didn't know what to say.

"You don't even know," James whispered. "You just like to make lives miserable. You woke me up. I'm tired, I can barely talk, just give me that potion so I can go back to sleep and be at least conscious when Lily and the others come after class."

Cecily grabbed the potion in her hand. She looked at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Just tell me one thing," she said softly, more gently than Lily had ever heard Cecily speak. "Did you feel anything?"

James snorted. "You were my best friend and you called me pond scum. You told me you never wanted to see me again and that I would never have any friends because you would turn them all against me," he hissed forcefully. "I was hurt, Cecily. I didn't even know the reason why you were being hostile to me."

She tossed him the potion and laughed quietly. "Oh, but I made you, James. You wouldn't have been the James Potter everyone knows and loves if I hadn't done that to you." She was almost smirking. "You would have been my sweet best friend. It would have changed everything. No pranks, no Marauders, and who knows? You might have gotten Lily sooner, or not at all."

"Get out," James said. He was so angry his mouth wasn't even moving.

"Okay," she consented. "I'll leave when you look me in the eye and tell me that you hate me for what I put you through."

James blinked once. "I hate you, Cecily Van Buren," he deadpanned. "I hate you and I always will."

She smirked, but tears were filling her eyes. "Good. I hate you, too," she told him with what sounded like a pit in her throat. She walked to the curtain and attempted to open it. She turned around and shook her head at James. "Have a nice life, James."

Cecily opened the curtains, oblivious to Lily's form standing beside her – either that or not caring anymore. She ran down the aisle between the rows of beds and stopped at Remus's. He was awake, groaning slightly and reading _the Daily Prophet_. "You should have killed him!" she screamed before continuing down the hallway and out the door.

Lily had never seen Cecily behave this way. In the seven years she had known the girl, whether they were friends or not, the black-haired beauty had never been anything but calm and sophisticated. Lily had never seen her shed a tear and when she did, she did it privately and away from everyone, including her friends.

When the swinging door finally shut, Lily turned and looked in the curtains. James had taken the potion he had asked Cecily for and was sleeping again. Instead of going inside, she walked to Remus's bed and stood beside him. He looked guiltily down at his blanket and the bandages covering his hands. "Just forget what she said," Lily told him.

"How can I?" he asked, looking up at Lily. "I almost killed one of my best friends."

The doors opened once more and Madam Pomfrey entered, followed by Sirius and Peter. The two boys rushed to Remus's side. Peter looked up at the werewolf wide eyed. "You look worse than usual, Moony," he said, which resulted in a slap by the back of Sirius's hand. The boy moaned quietly, grabbing his shoulder.

"Yeah, Moony, don't beat yourself up," Sirius said quietly. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

Remus shook his head. "But I'm the werewolf! I'm the dangerous one! And I completely let down Dumbledore. He'd been so kind to let me come here and look what I did," he exclaimed. "I hurt one of his students and probably put the whole school under investigation. Can you imagine what's going to happen when parents find out he let a werewolf into Hogwarts? He's going to lose his job!"

"Oh, believe me, Moony," Sirius told him, grabbing his arm to calm him down. "No one's going to find out. They're keeping everything all hushed up."

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "They're not saying anything about Prongs."

Remus shook his head. "But, what are they going to say when people start asking? People just aren't going to notice that he's not there, and that I'm not there, they're going to wonder."

"Look," Sirius told him. "Everything's going to be fine. We're the only people that know anything and we're not going to tell. He got sick from you; you both have the flu, that's all anyone needs to know."

Remus nodded and looked between his three friends. "Have you seen him?" he asked.

"Not since last night," Sirius told him.

"He's sleeping right now," Lily spoke up.

Remus sighed. "I want to see him." He wasn't looking at any of his friends, but instead at his bandaged hands. Lily rested her hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her sympathetically. He began to stand up, but was too weak from his transformation that he nearly fell over. Sirius grabbed onto him and helped him walk down the aisle to James.

When they opened the curtains, Remus groaned. He turned away quickly from James's sleeping form. Lily looked up at him and saw shame flood his eyes. "I'm a monster," he whispered.

"No, you're not," Lily said forcefully.

"Look at what I did to him," Remus continued guiltily, ignoring Lily completely.

Sirius took his friend's shoulders and shook his head. "No, listen, you didn't do this!" he cried, looking from James to Remus. "You had no control over this!"

"Moony did it," Peter added.

Remus's face morphed with disgust. "Then, I never want to be Moony again," he hissed, turning away from his friends and shaking his head.

Sirius and Peter both shook their heads. Sirius began to complain. "Come on, Moony –"

"It's Remus," the werewolf interrupted, turning away and attempting to walk away. He made it two steps before falling over, too weak to support his own weight, and taking the curtains down with him. He thrashed around on the floor, tears filling his eyes. "I hate this!" he moaned, hitting his forehead with his bandaged hand. He hit it multiple times and opened one of his wounds, making blood expel from the cut and seep down his face.

James began to stir, but continued to sleep, the affects of the sleeping draught keeping his from waking. Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office and frowned at Remus. The boy stood with Sirius's help and was brought back to his bed where the nurse fixed the cut on his forehead. She also gave him a sleeping draught to help calm him as she often did when he decided he was a monster while under her care.

Lily looked at Sirius after Remus fell asleep and Peter began counting the tiles on the floor. "Cecily found out," she said quietly. "Somehow, she knows about Remus and James."

"She can't tell anyone," Sirius whispered nervously.

"I know. I was going to try to find her," Lily said. "I don't think any of our teachers are expecting us anyway, so I'm just going to go see if I can find her and tell her."

Sirius nodded. "Do you think she'll listen to you?"

Lily shrugged and stood from her chair. "Probably not, but it's worth a shot."

She had walked to the door and was about to open it when she heard her name called. She turned to Sirius, who was holding Remus's _Daily Prophet_. He held up the front page and Lily struggled to make out what it was about. The picture was of two older people, a witch and a wizard, who appeared to be stronger than their age would suggest they be. Lily moved closer to read the caption and frowned. They were Mr. and Mrs. Van Buren, Cecily's grandparents.

"They were killed by You-Kno– I mean, Voldemort," Sirius said. James and Sirius had been practicing saying Voldemort instead of You-Know-Who after Moody's rant at the Order meeting. "Watch out, she might be emotional," he added.

Lily nodded. She was sure Cecily would be emotional, after the display she had made earlier, and didn't think the girl wanted to see her much. But Lily wanted to see her. First, she had to make sure she didn't tell on Remus, and then she had some questions.

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**So, what do you think? You find out everything about Cecily in the next chapter…**

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	28. Part I: Revelations

**Thanks for the reviews! Although, I was slightly disappointed at first as I had gotten used to twenty reviews per chapter. Ah, well, you all have busy lives just like me, so I can't complain much about twelve reviews. ;) Thanks guys! You're awesome!**

**Here's the chapter a lot of you have been waiting for.**

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Part I: Revelations

Lily moved through the castle swiftly toward Gryffindor tower. She figured that she would try the dormitories first in her quest for Cecily. Her head was spinning as she climbed the stairs, the Fat Lady in her line of vision. She didn't know what Cecily had been talking about with James. This was her chance to find out what had happened, what she had yearned to learn since she had gotten together with James. She was determined to find out.

She gave the password to the Fat Lady and quickly ran through the empty common room. She climbed the stairs two at a time and stopped in front of the door to her dorm. Placing her hand on the cold, golden handle, she hoped Cecily was inside because, if she wasn't, Lily wasn't sure where she would look.

Gently pushing open the door, she sighed with relief. Cecily was standing over her bed, folding her clothes and placing them in her trunk. Lily watched in confusion, wondering why the girl would be packing her trunk.

"I know why you're here," Cecily said quietly, not looking up from her clothes. She placed the shirt into her trunk. "I won't tell on Remus, I'm not that cruel."

Cecily turned to her and sat on the edge of her bed. There were tear stains on her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Lily had never seen her in this condition before and it was unnerving to look at. Cecily had always been a strong girl and to see her in such obvious pain was horrible.

"How did you find out about him?" Lily asked. It was the question that had been on her mind since she had heard Cecily scold James for following a werewolf.

A sadistic smile spread across Cecily's face. "My parents came earlier this morning to see Dumbledore and barged in on a meeting between the professors concerning James's condition," she explained.

Lily nodded, not knowing what to say. There were so many questions she wanted to ask and Cecily seemed to be acting kindly toward her. The way she was sitting on the bed gave off the impression that she would welcome Lily's questions.

"I know you saw me, Lily," she spoke quietly with the sophistication that Lily remembered from when they were friends. "I don't blame you for being curious."

Looking down at her shoes, Lily's stomach churned. Trying to pry wasn't as easy as Lily had thought it would be. She felt odd being curious about something that didn't affect her directly. She looked up at Cecily and was shocked to find the girl giving her a look of encouragement instead of fierce hatred as she had in the past months.

"You probably won't believe me, but I'm happy for you and James," Cecily said quietly, blinking twice as if she was fighting the words as they were coming out of her mouth. "You both deserve to be happy."

"I don't want be to be so nosy," Lily started, finally finding her voice in the exchange. "But, what happened between you and James?"

Her cerulean eyes darkened and she shook her head. She gave a quiet laugh and sighed. "It was my own stupidity, Lily, remember that," she whispered. "I was young and stupid when it happened. Now, looking back on it, I realize that what I did was wrong.

"James, well, the James I knew, was probably the sweetest boy you'd ever meet," Cecily said, her eyes and voice held a tone of reverence. "He was nothing like the eleven year old you met in first year. Honestly, I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. He was like a little gentleman from the seventeen hundreds, the little princes in books that are raised to be respectful and never speak out. I think it was more the influence of my grandparents' views of pureblood lineage and such than his parents, but he still grew into the boy that every parent wants to say is theirs. He was a little angel, Lily."

She paused for a moment. She turned to look out the window. The sun had peeked through the clouds, letting a single ray of sunlight hit the grassy fields. When she looked back at Lily her eyes had taken on a darker light. A look of disgust fell on her features.

"We grew up to be best friends, but when I was ten everything changed. Every time I saw him I got goosebumps and I had butterflies in my stomach," Cecily told her. Lily suddenly felt herself becoming extremely jealous and unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest. Cecily seemed to notice this because she added, "Don't worry, Lily, he never felt anything for me."

"What happened?" Lily asked, letting her arms fall to her sides.

Cecily clenched her fists and shut her eyes. "I told my sister. I thought that she might know what it would be because she went to Hogwarts and was so much wiser than I was. But, she ran around the house yelling that I had a crush on James and that we would get married." She opened her eyes and looked up at Lily. "She didn't know that what she did was the worst thing anyone could have done."

Lily frowned and fingered the fabric of her skirt nervously. She wasn't sure what was coming next.

"My parents sat us down and told us all about how we couldn't have crushes, that we already had lovely boys waiting for us. My sister had Krum, I had Bachev. It was done and there was nothing I could do. It wasn't until later that I found out my parents had tried to betroth me to James, but his parents wouldn't allow it," she said quietly, her eyes wetting once more.

"That summer, I knew I had to do something," Cecily stated. "I knew that I couldn't go on being friends with James or my secret would be blown. I had Andrei and I wasn't stupid. There was no way I was about to get myself caught in a messed up circle of events. I was raised to follow orders and not cause trouble, not to mention it would only break my heart in the end. I did what was necessary."

Lily nodded. "You called James pond scum," she said. She remembered that part of the story.

Cecily took a deep breath. "Yes, but that's not all. One day, it was actually the day we received our Hogwarts letters, I vowed to myself that I would make him hate me. That day, I called him pond scum and told him that he'd be lonely for the rest of his life. The worst thing I said to him was that he was an arrogant child – because he always wanted to act grown up – that would never grow up."

With a deep intake of air, Lily's eyes widened. Cecily nodded. "Yeah, it destroyed him and after that, he was changed. His parents noticed this immediately and questioned my parents and myself. He wasn't obeying them; he was causing problems, throwing temper tantrums. He cursed one of the House-Elves to wear clothes, it was awful."

She placed her head in her hands. "I knew that I created a monster, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn't stay friends with James and I had to get him to hate me because if he hated me, I could hate him, and I wouldn't have to worry about liking him."

"Did your plan work?" Lily asked pathetically.

Cecily shook her head, which was still in her hands. "No, not at first. I was the only person he would talk to, but I pretended that I was too good for him. I put myself on a pedestal that my parents constantly told me and my sister we were on and pretended that he wouldn't be able to reach me no matter how high he jumped." She glanced up. "Then one day I took my father's wand and turned his hair blue. After that, for the rest of the summer we had a prank war which I let him win at. He found a new friend in pranking and I lost him forever.

"I morphed slowly throughout the summer to what I wanted, I turned into this person who hated him as much as I wanted him to hate me," she continued. "At night I would tell myself that it was what needed to happen, but I felt horrible for the first few nights. Then it changed because I adopted a new theory. I figured that if I couldn't have James Potter, than I didn't want anyone else to either."

Lily blinked. Everything was coming together. All the pieces of the puzzle were fitting and the final picture was emerging from the pile of mismatched pieces.

"When I met you, Lily, I was so excited," Cecily told her with her eyes filled with excitement. "You already hated James just as much as I wanted to. I knew that my goal of making him out to be the bad guy would be easy. Slowly we all started to hate him and it turned out to be exactly as I wanted it to be."

Cecily broke off and looked out the window. A small, blue bird was sitting on the windowsill looking in at them. After a moment it flew off and Cecily turned to her. "Then, he changed himself and finally caught your eye and I felt like I was left in the dust. In my mind, there was no way I could be happy for you two because I felt as if my heart was breaking. Yesterday, when you and Michelle were talking about marriage and children, I just couldn't handle it anymore and stormed off."

"I remember," Lily said, thinking back. The conversation seemed to take place ages ago, not just the night before.

"That was when I realized something," Cecily told her, tapping her foot lightly on the floor. "I saw him waiting for you in the common room and he looked so happy. Then, he spotted me and he started to glare. We exchanged a few words that I'm a little ashamed of and I ran to the library. While I was there, I realized that I was okay with you two."

Lily raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What?" she asked.

Cecily stood from the bed and placed the final shirt in the trunk. She shut the cover and smiled at Lily with a sigh. "I'm happy for you."

"But," Lily started, unsure where the conversation was heading. "You're practically in love with him."

A quiet laugh escaped from Cecily's lips. She shook her head. "No, Lily, I thought I was, but I'm not," she said quietly. "I had a revelation in the library. My James died seven years ago when I told him those nasty words. This James, he's yours and only yours. I told you this story because I wanted you to understand what I just figured out. I just wished I could have realized this sooner."

Baffled, Lily blinked quickly, not quite understanding what was happening. "Then, why did you make him tell you that he hated you?" she asked.

"Because, it would be easier that saying goodbye," she said, heaving her trunk off her bed.

Lily watched the trunk with her eyes. "Where are you going?"

A few tears filled Cecily's eyes. "Well, you probably heard that my grandparents were murdered. My parents wanted to move to Bulgaria, where my sister is, to get away from all this about a dark lord and such." She grabbed the handle with her hand. "And, since they want me to come as well, they pushed up my wedding date. It's the only legitimate reason they can use without Dumbledore keeping me here."

Cecily walked to Lily, who was watching her silently. She didn't know what to say. The black-haired girl dropped her trunk and stood in front of Lily. "I just wanted you to understand why I was such a horrible person this year. I just…I don't even know. I think that I still had the mentality that if I couldn't have him I didn't want anyone else to either."

"You should have told us," Lily said. "Then–"

"Don't say anything," Cecily muttered softly. "You can't see how happy the two of you are with each other. And, remember what I said, he's not my James anymore. My James is gone because I murdered him myself."

Lily nodded. "You still should have told us," she replied. "We could have at least fixed your friendship."

Cecily shook her head. "You forget, Lily. When we were eleven we hated the Marauders. Besides, maybe it was supposed to happen. This way, it's not as hard to say goodbye. I just hope that now that you know, you can maybe forget this year and remember us as we were the past six years. Pretend I died this summer and none of this ever happened. I'm not asking to be friends. I just want to know that our six good years won't be lost."

"Don't worry," Lily said quietly. "They won't."

A single tear fell down Cecily's cheek. "Lily, you are the kindest person I have ever met. I ruined our friendship, I let a boy come between us - that's like the worst sin in the friendship book - and yet you find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Six good years outweigh one bad," Lily said. "And all you did was isolate yourself. You didn't do anything to us."

Cecily reached down, grabbing the handle of her trunk. "Well, I'm off to marry the love of my life," she said with a small, far-off smile. Her eyes were lighter than before, but her face was full of regret. "I hope that everything works out for all of you, Michelle and Ivy too."

She walked away, leaving Lily in the empty dormitory. Lily stayed in her spot for a while, not moving and reliving the conversation. She decided to walk down to the Hospital Wing to see if James was awake after a while. Her mind seemed to be overflowing with the new information that Cecily had told her. She tried to sort it out as she walked slowly through the vacant corridors.

James and Cecily had been friends, best friends even. Cecily developed a crush on James and ruined their friendship. Everything worked out fine until Lily decided she liked James. Cecily turned on them because she still had feelings for James and now…she had realized that she didn't like James, but she liked the idea of James that she had kept in her mind. Or, at least that's what Lily understood.

She walked into the Hospital Wing and found Remus and Peter around James's bed. He seemed to be awake and they were talking quietly. She leaned against the wall watching them for a moment when she felt a presence behind them. She turned to see Sirius looking down at her.

"Did you find her?" he asked. "She's not going to tell anyone?"

Lily shook her head. "Remus's secret is safe with Cecily."

"Good," Sirius replied, his eyes focused on his group of friends. "You should go see him."

Lily looked up at him. "So should you," she challenged softly.

His eyes glazed over and he shook his head. "No, I'm the reason why he's here," he spoke, looking toward the stone tiles on the floor. "Moo-," he stopped, catching himself. Lily remembered the exchange from earlier when Remus had seen James and discarded his nickname. "Remus thought it was his fault, but I was the one who could have stopped it. I was fine when he was asleep, but now that he's awake, Lily…I can't go near him when I know I'm the one at fault."

"Sirius, no you're not," Lily told him. "You told him not to go, he went anyway. You were surprised to see him, so what? Should you be sent to Azkaban for it? I think not. It's no one's fault, and if it's anyone's fault it is James's. He was reckless last night."

There was a soft ringing of a bell and Sirius turned. "It's free period for us. I'm going to go see Michelle," he called over his shoulder before pushing through the door and vanishing from sight.

Lily walked away from the spot and to James's bed. She sat down on his bed and grabbed his hand. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I've been better," he joked. Remus still looked horribly guilty and Peter was staring at James's scars. His face held three gashes down the left side of his face, one over his eye and two over his cheek. His arms were swollen and red.

"Promise me you'll never do something this reckless again?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

"I'll try," he told her honestly. "But, I don't want to promise," he added jokingly. "Where's Pads?" he asked, looking around for Sirius. Lily noticed Remus look down at the ground at the mention of the nickname, it obviously reminding him of his own.

"He'll be here soon," Lily promised, hoping Sirius would come to his senses. "He just has to do some things."

She didn't hear his response and instead stared at the doorway, hoping it would open and show the handsome, shaggy haired seventh year. But the door remained closed until Lily left that night. As she was leaving, Sirius entered.

"What changed your mind?" she asked quietly so James wouldn't hear.

He shrugged. "Remus; The werewolf's more persuasive than one would think," he whispered. "That and he told me Pr-James had been waiting all day."

Lily nodded and left, turning back once to see Sirius approach James and sit down, James immediately questioning him on where he had been all day. As she shut the door, all she heard was a bark of laughter and knew things would be okay, if only for a little while.

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**So, I hope this made Cecily a lot clearer for all of you, and also James to an extent - you get to see the reasons for his childish ways. You also see Lily's "incredibly kind" personality that Remus says about her. **

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	29. Part I: First

**Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews! You are all wonderful. This chapter is fairly long, just for you all. **

**There are only three more chapters in Part I (including this one). Then we start Part II. This chapter and the two chapters after it are the pivotal chapters in this story and there are a lot of hidden hints in them for all you English fanatics out there (like me).**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: First

James was forced to stay in the hospital wing for three days after Remus was discharged. Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep an eye on him, although Sirius and James had decided it was just because she didn't want him getting into trouble. When he was finally released, people began to wonder why he had the scars on his face. They would constantly point out the three ragged red lines on his face and, depending on his attire, his arms. James had taken his three extra days in the hospital wing to perfect his story and crosscheck it with his friends to make sure they knew what he was going to say.

"I just got really dizzy and fell from my broom," he was telling a group of second year boys one day when Lily walked into the common room. "Luckily, my mate Sirius was there and could carry me into the hospital wing."

Sirius nodded his head. "Crazy kid fell off his broom and went face first into the stands," he would add. "I don't suggest you follow his lead."

"Did it hurt?" one asked in awe.

James shrugged. "I don't know, I was unconscious by the time I actually fell," he told them. "And, that my boys, is why you don't play quidditch with the flu."

"Especially after curfew on a school night," Remus would add in sarcastically.

The Gryffindors all hailed James as their dedicated hero, practicing quidditch even when he was ill. They placed him on a pedestal higher than anyone else and looked up to him as the example of Gryffindor pride. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs would walk slower down the hallways if James was telling his story.

Of course, there was one set of eyes that didn't believe the delicately planned story. Every time Severus would walk by James, his dark eyes would flash to the scars on his face and then to Remus. Lily would watch him carefully, fearing every time that he would spread his knowledge of Remus's condition to the Slytherins and then the school, but on some occasions his eyes shone with gratefulness. She wondered if it had to do when he tried to spy on Remus and James saved him. Perhaps, he was thinking about what would have happened if Remus had gotten to him that night.

The dormitory seemed empty to Lily. Cecily's bed had been removed the day she left and the number of beds was down to three. Ivy and Michelle didn't mind, but Lily felt horrible with the knowledge she had gained. "Maybe she left because she realized she didn't have any friends anymore," Michelle said after Ivy wondered aloud why Cecily had left the school.

"I don't think that's the reason," Lily stated quietly. Michelle and Ivy didn't listen and continued to talk about what they would do after graduation which was right around the corner. April and May had gone by quickly, bringing the warmth that came with June. The last weekend in May brought the final Hogsmeade weekend. Lily looked out her window; she had two weeks left before graduation. Two weeks and she would leave Hogwarts forever.

"Can you believe it?" Ivy asked, twirling around in her gold graduation robes. "We're almost done!"

"Don't remind me," Michelle said, throwing her black, fleece blanket over her head with a groan. "I don't have a clue what I'm going to do after we leave."

Lily chuckled, turning around. "You're going to become an auror just like me," she said as if she were talking to a toddler. "Remember, we've been over this."

Ivy giggled, still spinning in her robes and becoming unbalanced. Michelle grabbed her pillow at threw it at her redheaded best friend. With a good natured smile, she replied, "I know _that_!"

"Then, what are you worried about?" Lily asked, walking to her trunk and taking out a light sweater. She couldn't decide if she needed to wear it down to Hogsmeade or if she would be fine without it. "Do you think I'm going to need this?" she asked the room.

Michelle groaned. "Lily! Here I am worried about where I'm going to live and how I'm going to support myself, and you're worried about what you're going to wear! If you remember correctly, my parents cut me off from everything when I ran away."

"You'll live with Sirius," Ivy said, walking around the room and grabbing objects around her to steady her dizzy form. "Duh!"

"But, he hasn't said anything! How do I know if he even wants to live with me? That's a huge step," Michelle complained. She turned to Lily. "Have you talked about that with James?"

Lily rolled her eyes and threw her sweater on her bed. "Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?" she asked. "Because you do. Everything will work out in the end, I promise."

Ivy glanced at the clock and shrugged out of her golden robes. "Should we head down now?" she asked, pointing to the clock. "The boys are probably waiting."

"Let's go," Lily said. She walked to Michelle and grabbed her friend out of the bed. They walked arm in arm down the staircase to where the four Marauders were standing around the couch. They were talking to the first year, Billy, who had been drawn to James at the beginning of the year. James looked up the stairs and saw Lily. He smiled and Sirius told the kid to "bug off" when he noticed where his friend was looking. James glared at Sirius before saying something kinder to the boy, patting his head, and waving.

"I feel bad for your future kids," James was telling Sirius when the girls approached. Sirius only barked in laughter, wrapping his arm around Michelle.

The seven students walked down to the carriages that would bring them into Hogsmeade. Remus was still weak from his transformation in May. It had been a particularly tough one and he had forced all three of his friends to stay away, not wanting something else to happen like had happened to James in April. He was only going in to Hogsmeade because it was the last and he, Peter, and Ivy were only going to Honeydukes. Ivy wanted to explore the castle while most of the students were gone, as it would be one of her last chances to do so. James had made it known that he wanted this time alone with Lily, and Sirius was going to tell Michelle about Remus and his illegal Animagus status. He decided that she needed to know before they left Hogwarts.

So, at the gates of Hogsmeade, the group broke into three subgroups and they all went their separate ways. After going into the Three Broomsticks for a quick Butterbeer, James grabbed Lily's hand and led her out. The sun was shining in the clear sky. The only flaw in the crystalline blue was an ominous, black cloud heading toward the sun to block off its rays. Lily hoped the rain would wait until after the students had returned to the castle.

James and Lily walked down a pathway that ran behind the Shrieking Shack. She didn't know where he was leading her and merely looked around as they walked. The dirt path took the two to a small stream surrounded by the woods. There were a few large rocks and flowers growing all around. She walked to a white flower and leaned down to smell its redolent scent.

"James, this is beautiful," she said, turning to him.

He grinned. "Sometimes I come here when I need to think," he told her. "I just take my cloak and the map and sit here for a while. It's peaceful."

He walked to her side and wrapped his arms around her. He stared at her for a few moments, his hazel eyes focused on hers. "I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you, too," she replied, wondering why he was looking at her with such intensity. It was almost as if he turned away he'd never see her again.

"I realized that with everything that's happening, that you have to do things when the moment feels right," he told her honestly. "You can't wait or else you might miss your chance."

Her heart began to beat rapidly. "What are you talking about?" she questioned quietly, not knowing what he was getting at.

A smile spread across his face. "Lily, there's going to be a war, and I don't want to miss my chance," he said seriously.

He nervously reached into his pocket and retrieved a square, velvet box. Lily's eyes widened and she immediately gasped. James bit his bottom lip. "This is something I thought long and hard about, Lily, I even asked Remus and Sirius. Especially after my incident with Remus and the fact that there's a war, I didn't know if this was the right thing to do, I don't want to leave you if I die in a war, but in the end I realized that we have to live in the moment. I love you with all my heart and, if you'll allow it, I want you to be mine forever." He gently knelt to the ground, landing on one knee and looking up at her. "Will you marry me, Lily?"

Her heart skipped a beat and tried to say yes, but her voice wouldn't work. She nodded her head, still looking at him with eyes sparkling with joyous tears. She couldn't believe that she was lucky enough to have James in her life.

He stood and gently slid the ring on her finger. She looked down at it for the first time. It was simple yet elegant at the same time with a single diamond in the middle and two small emeralds flanking it. She reached for her locket that James had given her for Christmas, knowing the emeralds on her ring matched the two emeralds on the locket. She never took off her locket and now she would never take off the ring. She reached for James and hugged him tightly.

Suddenly, a noise came from the direction of Hogsmeade and Lily turned to look. A flash of colored light flashed over the sky and yells erupted from the village. She looked to James to see that he was reaching inside his pockets for his wand. She reached for hers as well and followed him into the village.

As they tried to enter, they were bombarded by students trying to escape with looks of terror. People were screaming loudly and pushing over each other as they climbed the hill to the castle, passing the carriages without a second thought. When Lily and James arrived there were only a handful of students and staff left. Now the streets of Hogsmeade were overflowing with figures in black cloaks with pointed hoods and white masks.

Keeping her wand out, she felt a hand grasp her arm and she looked up into a masked face. James had also been grabbed and was struggling against the man holding onto him. They were led into a small store that Lily had never been to. The man threw the two to the floor and rushed to stick his head out the window. James pulled the map from his pocket, activated it, and handed the parchment to Lily.

"Behind the counter is a loose floorboard," he whispered. "When I say, use the map to get back to Hogwarts."

"What about you?" Lily asked, glancing back to the man. "I'm not going to leave you here."

James pointed his wand at the man who was back to and jerked his head to Lily. "I can hold him."

"Oh, you think so, Potter?"

The two looked up and found that the man was no longer facing Hogsmeade. In fact there were two men now. Both were hooded with white masks. The taller of the two men lifted his hand to his mask and pushed it from his face while letting his hood drop. He was a rather pale man with dark, graying hair and murky eyes. Lily's heart stopped. Standing before them was Lord Voldemort.

"Ah, James, I should have expected you to look a lot like your father," Voldemort said, walking toward the boy. He placed a cold hand on his face, letting his bony fingers encircle James's chin.

"What are we doing here?" James spat, glaring at dark wizard.

Voldemort merely laughed. "Well, aren't you a tough one," he spoke cynically. "But, I suppose I should tell you. I've heard great things from inside sources of you both and have decided to consider an ultimatum."

He stood and walked back to the hooded man he was with. "You see, I sent one of my prized companions, Lucius here, to watch you and study you," he told them. "I hear that you are fair duelist and we can always use a potions prodigy." He directed the final bit to Lily with a sinister smile. "We're in desperate need of spies within Dumbledore's inner circle, which I assume you two will be in when you graduate, if you aren't already."

"We will never join you," James hissed.

Once again, Voldemort laughed. "You see, Potter, you don't have a choice. I am going to win, Dumbledore doesn't stand a chance against me," he replied confidently. "And when I succeed, my followers will be rewarded."

"As James said," Lily spoke, finding her voice. "We will never join your cause."

Voldemort nodded. "Ah, yes, I thought the two of you might say that," he said calmly. "Well, Lucius, I tried. Severus will just have to accept that."

"Severus?" Lily whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

But Voldemort had heard her. "Yes, it was Snape's idea to recruit you. I had my doubts about allowing a Potter and a mudblood, but once I was informed of your abilities and your friendship with a Black, I was thoroughly interested." He shrugged, "but alas you have decided to go against me. I am truly sorry that you'll be unable to attend your graduation."

He raised his wand, but James was faster. He reached for his wand, which he had concealed from Voldemort's view and aimed it at the men. They were taken aback and James shouted to Lily. "Run!" She rushed to the counter and lifted the floorboard. James pushed her inside before following himself and the two crawled through the tiny tunnel.

They heard Voldemort yell at Lucius to follow them and crawled quicker through the tunnel. "I'll get you two!" They heard him shout as Lucius opened the floorboard and followed them inside. They could see the light from the entrance to the castle when they heard Lucius approaching, James pulled out his wand. "Go, Lily," he urged, nodding to the portrait. "I'll hold him while you go."

Reluctantly, Lily crawled faster toward the portrait. A flash of light filled the tunnel and there was a deafening crash. Lily turned back to see the walls of the tunnel collapse and James quickly crawling toward her. He had destroyed the tunnel, but had blocked Lucius from reaching the castle.

They barged through the portrait and landed on the floor. For the first time in what seemed to be hours, Lily could breathe again. She looked up at James. He kissed her forehead and smirked. "We escaped Voldemort," he said.

"I don't want to do it again," she told him seriously.

"Me either," he agreed. A shadow fell upon him and the two looked up into the face of Argus Filch. The beady eyes of the old man fell immediately on the map in Lily's hands. He reached forward and snatched it with a look of sheer glee in his eyes.

"Ah!" he cheered. "I've got you at last, Potter!"

He looked at the writing, reading aloud the words on the front. While he was consumed by it, James pointed his wand to the map and muttered, "Mischief managed." The map wiped clean and Filch's eyes widened.

Until the map told him, rather rudely, that he shouldn't steal other people's property.

Filch turned to James and glared. "I'll break this, boy, and when I do I'll know all your little tricks! Oh, you and your little friends won't be so special anymore, eh!" He looked beyond James in the portrait hole. "And, that's a fourth tunnel I've found!"

He nearly skipped away, not even reprimanding James and Lily because of his excitement over finally taking the Marauders Map away from the infamous group of meddlesome Gryffindors. Lily looked up at James sympathetically. "I'm sorry," she told him quietly.

He shook his head. "Don't be," he said. "We Marauders know the map by heart anyway. It's time it got passed down to future troublemakers of Hogwarts. The true test will be who can crack the code and steal it from Filch. I respect the troublemakers who do."

With a smile, he stood and offered her his hand, which she gratefully took. The two walked down the corridor hand in hand. She frowned when she heard a howl from outside. It sounded as if it was a dog in pain. She looked up to James and found him looking around, as if he recognized the howl. They quickly walked to Gryffindor tower, ready to find their friends after the day they had endured.

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**So, they've escaped Voldy for the first time. Anyone catch the parallel between James's words to Lily here and in the books when Voldemort comes on Halloween? **

**And there's a hint into the next chapter in the final paragraph. I don't want to give too much away, but here's a hint: think about the characters we know in the series and then the ones I added…what happens to them? How come they aren't in the series? ****Then, remember that I've decided to make this a canon to AU story. In the next two chapters there will be two events that really change the story from the one we all know to the one you're not expecting. I've had it planned out for a while now.**

**I hope I haven't just confused you, but you'll understand this better in the next chapter when you find out what happens.**

**Review!**


	30. Part I: Choices

**Alright. Sorry for the long wait between chapters. I've had so much stuff to do that I haven't gotten the chance to work on this. Then, I needed to make sure this chapter was written right because it is a major player in the rest of the story.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Choices

The Gryffindor common was bursting at the seams when Lily and James entered. Lily had never seen so much chaos in a single room. Kids were screaming, yelling, and running around. Fear had taken over every Gryffindor student. Through the crowd, Remus pushed his way past kids with a look of relief on his face.

"Thank Merlin!" he yelled, as Ivy and Peter followed him from the chaotic cluster of students. "We were starting to get worried when you didn't come back."

"Lily!" Ivy exclaimed, throwing her arms around her friend. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Over the yelling, the seventh years could barely hear themselves speak. James looked around and then turned to Remus. "Is everyone back?" he asked, unable to count the numbers in the packed group of Gryffindors.

Remus shook his head. "No, we're still waiting on a few," he said. He looked up at James curiously. "Have you seen Sirius?"

James's eyes widened and he immediately ran from the room. Lily whipped her head around to watch him fly through the room, nearly colliding with Professor McGonagall on his way out. Remus followed him, yelling at Peter to keep watch over the kids, even though their head of house had arrived. Lily felt her heart sink, remembering the howl. She looked to Ivy and the girl nodded. They ran out of the room as well.

James was leading the way faster than Lily had ever seen him run before. She didn't know if he knew where he was going, and was sure that the Marauders Map would have proven to be helpful in this situation. James zigzagged through the corridors, Remus right on his heels, with Lily and Ivy struggling to keep up with the athletic boys.

After James and Remus turned a corner, the two girls could see they were falling behind. They hoped they wouldn't lose the boys and were surprised to run into them when they finally made it to the corner. James and Remus had stopped dead, staring down at the hallway. It was the entrance to the Hospital Wing.

A few chairs had obviously been filled prior to their arrival and were spread out as if someone had stood from them. The room was empty and quiet, except for a few muffled cries. Sirius was sitting in a chair opposite the door, his head in his hands and blood dripping down arms from a few minor cuts. His body was shaking in silent sobs. James stepped forward and sat in the seat beside him, wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulders. He made a motion for Remus to approach and the young werewolf sat on Sirius's other side. Lily and Ivy kept their distance. James said something quietly they couldn't hear, but Sirius's answer rang through the hallway.

"I'm bloody fine!" he cried. "This is nothing compared to what Bellatrix will be like if _she_ doesn't come out of this."

Lily found herself not truly listening to Sirius's words. She was looking around for Michelle, who was nowhere to be seen. Ivy seemed to be doing the same and when the two girls looked at each other they could each see a look of fear in the other's eyes.

By the time they turned back to the boys, Sirius had stood and was pacing the floor. He kicked at the stone. He was muttering quietly about Bellatrix. "You don't even know if it was her, Sirius," James tried. "They all had their hoods up."

"It was her," he roared, stopping his pace and turning to James. Professor McGonagall walked into the area as he continued with, "I think I'd know my own family, James!"

"Mr. Black!" Professor McGonagall said with thin-lipped anger. "Calm down. Exploding at Mr. Potter will not make the situation any better!"

Sirius turned to the professor. "Have you heard anything?" His eyes were pleading her to tell him what he wanted to hear. Lily listened, wanting to know what was happening. Right now, the details were blurry to her. She knew from Sirius's behavior that something had happened to Michelle.

McGonagall shook her head solemnly. "No, I'm afraid not. We'll have to wait." Sirius all but collapsed into his chair and McGonagall strode toward her. "What exactly happened, Mr. Black?"

Lily walked over with Ivy, wanting to know what was going on. Sirius shook his head and shut his eyes. "It all happened so fast," he said quietly. "Death Eaters, they just came and everyone started screaming. Michelle and I tried to fight some off, and then she got hit by Bellatrix." He couldn't go on.

"Was anyone else there?" McGonagall asked, eyeing Sirius with a look Lily had never seen before.

He shrugged. "Well, Bellatrix and possibly one of the Lestranges or maybe it was Nott, I didn't get a good look."

"So, it was you and some Death Eaters and Ms. D'Aubigne," McGonagall said. She turned her back on the boys in the chairs and walked to the doors.

Sirius stared at her with realization through a glare. "I didn't hurt her, Professor," he hissed deathly quiet. "You of all people should know that."

McGonagall turned back to the group, her face void of emotion. "I know, Mr. Black," she told him almost inaudibly. "Sometimes war makes people think funny things."

She turned and went to open the doors, but they were already being pushed open. Sirius stood immediately, as did James and Remus beside him. Lily felt her head spinning. She couldn't believe what was happening. Ivy had latched onto her arm, her gray eyes wide with fear. Lily wanted Madam Pomfrey to walk through the doors and tell them they had nothing to worry about, or have Michelle herself walk out. But, judging by Sirius's and McGonagall's behaviors, she didn't think that was going to be the case.

Madam Pomfrey had barely walked through the doors when Sirius began attacking her with questions. Lily tuned them out, Sirius's voice merely background to her mind's thoughts. Madam Pomfrey's face held a grave expression that made Lily's stomach drop and her eyes fill with tears. James began walking toward her, but she shook her head, telling him wordlessly to stay by Sirius's side.

"Poppy," McGonagall urged when the nurse didn't say anything.

The woman shrugged. "I had her transferred to St. Mungo's, but even they don't know how she's still alive. No one quite understands it, with her injuries…." She paused and looked around the room of young faces. "They've sent her back, but she's won't wake and, if I had to say anything, it's unlikely she will."

A bleak silence fell over the room. Sirius shook his head angrily then looked up tearfully. "But…it's not impossible," he stated, stuttering slightly.

"It's not impossible," Madam Pomfrey confirmed quietly, her own eyes wet and slightly red. "But she should be dead right now by any healer's books, so that leads me to believe that you're hoping for a miracle, Mr. Black."

His hands began to shake at his sides. "Can I see her?" he asked feebly.

Madam Pomfrey nodded and told the others that it would be one at a time. After Sirius had gone inside, Lily let her tears fall. Her best friend was…she couldn't even bring herself to think the word. She felt James's arms around her and she turned so she could lay her head on his chest. Her day had gone from bad to worse, and it was hard to believe it was the same sunny morning that James had proposed to her.

"Do you want to go to the head common room?" James asked, quietly whispering the words in her ear. "I have a feeling Sirius will be in there until visiting hours are over."

Lily nodded, but she didn't move. She felt stuck in her position. She felt safe with James's arms around her; as if all the awful things in the world couldn't touch her if she remained where she was. She heard him telling Remus they were going to leave and alert him if anything changed. Remus and Ivy were going to stay in the waiting area for Sirius to come out and said they'd go to the head common room on their way back to the dorms.

James lifted Lily in his arms and the tears began to flow down her face once more when she pictured her best friend nearly lifeless in the bed with Sirius beside her, clutching her hand for dear life. It was almost as if she was stuck in a nightmare. In some ways, she hoped she would wake up and find that everything had been a dream and the attack hadn't happened. The attack had been partly her fault as Voldemort had wanted to see Lily and James. In those ways, she felt responsible for placing Michelle in the Hospital Wing.

Beulah was depressed when James told her why Lily was so upset. Her smiling face and cheers that they were okay had faded with young innocence for the situation. She quickly opened her portrait and allowed them inside without further question and a subdued manner.

James sat on the couch and kept Lily close to him, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She let her eyes follow the golden cackles of the fire. It could have been anyone, she realized. James had even acknowledged it in his proposal. They were being forced to live in the moment because none of them knew which moment would be their last. James gently rocked her back and forth in his arms and Lily's eyes, burning from the tears, had dried.

There was a piece of blank parchment left on the couch from what appeared to be James's transfiguration homework and Lily reached for it. She needed to write a letter to her parents, who received _the Daily Prophet_ once a week, or else they would worry about her safety. She didn't want them to think she was hurt.

"Do you have a quill?" she asked quietly. James nodded, grabbing one from the table beside the couch and handing it to her. She was about to tell him that she would need ink as well, but it seemed to have an enchantment on it to self-ink.

_Dear Dad and Mum,_

_First, I don't know if you've gotten the Prophet yet, but if you have you'll understand my next sentence. I'm alright. If you haven't, just remember when you do read it that I'm perfectly fine. And so is James._

_Now, if you haven't gotten the Daily Prophet, my guess is that you're extremely confused. I'll explain. There was an attack on Hogsmeade today. There is a very evil wizard, who I'm sure you've read about in the previous newspapers, calling himself Voldemort. He brought his followers and they attacked while we were down there. Don't worry because, as I said, James and I are fine. Michelle isn't, she – _Lily paused here, not knowing what to say. She let out a sigh – _was hit and Madam Pomfrey doesn't know if she'll wake up._

_I just thought that you would like to know that I'm alright. I'll write to you with more details when we find out more about Michelle._

_Lots of love,_

_Lily_

Placing the quill and the parchment on the couch, she leaned into James. He lifted the letter and looked at her. "Do you want me to bring this to the owlery?" he asked softly.

She nodded, but didn't really want him to leave. She would much rather him stay with her, but figured that her parents needed to know that she was okay. She stood and sat back down on the couch, allowing him to get up. He stood, kissed her forehead lightly, and left, telling her that he would hurry. A few moments later there was a knock on the portrait. Lily assumed it was Remus and Ivy so she stood and walked to the door. She wiped her eyes and opened the portrait, unhappy with what was before her. Severus Snape was standing in the doorway, his dark eyes looking up at her with relief.

"You're okay," he breathed, a smile spreading across his face.

Lily had never hated Severus before. Sure, she had gotten angry and told him that she never wanted to see him again, but she had never hated him. Now, pure hatred flowed through her veins. "What are you doing here?" she asked. He looked taken aback by her tone and didn't answer. "What makes you think that you're welcome here?"

"What are you talking about, Lily?" he asked.

"You told Voldemort," she watched him noticeably finch at the mention of the name, "that James and I would be great additions to his Death Eater force. You obviously heard of the attack. Because of you Michelle is dying."

Severus looked at her with shock. "What?" he asked rhetorically. "No one was supposed to get hurt."

Lily's eyes widened. "So you knew, you knew well in advance that Voldemort was coming and bringing Death Eaters, but you didn't say anything!" she exclaimed. "When have Death Eaters ever not destroyed something?"

"What was I supposed to do, Lily!" he yelled. "If I went to Dumbledore, I'd be telling the world what I am! I was just trying to protect you."

"Well, stop!" she told him indignantly.

He didn't reply. She followed his dark eyes to her engagement ring. He looked up at her, his eyes betraying his hurt, but he was also glaring up at her. "You're going to marry _Potter_!"

"I don't see why you think you have a say in it," she stated calmly, knowing this was affecting him. "I love him. Why wouldn't I want to become Mrs. James Potter?"

Severus's eyes fell from her face to her ring before he sighed heavily. His shoulders shrugged. "Fine, Lily, I hope you're happy. And I hope D'Aubigne is okay – for you, not for Black," he mumbled before walking away, his eyes focused on the floor as he walked toward the Slytherin dungeons.

That night, Lily, James, Remus, and Ivy all stayed in the head common room together. None of them wanted to face the other Gryffindors and wanted to stay together. Madam Pomfrey had allowed Sirius to stay past the normal visiting hours. Remus said it was because he looked so pitiable, sitting beside her bed with her hand in his and telling her that he wasn't going to leave her side until she woke up.

Lily knew that Michelle's death would affect Sirius in dramatic ways. Sirius, who had never cared for his family except perhaps Regulus at one point and a cousin he said had been blasted off the Black Family Tapestry just like he had, would be devastated. Sirius had a big heart, she knew, but she also knew that he only opened it to so many people. James told her his beliefs of what would happen to Sirius after Remus and Ivy had fallen asleep on the floor of the common room.

"I'm scared for him, Lils," he said quietly. "He's going to go back to sixth year in his head, I know he will. He'll go back to a time where everything was good. He does that and I think he'll go back to when he didn't have her."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

He looked at her with grief-stricken eyes hidden behind his glasses. "Like, say I had a younger brother and I died. Sirius would call my younger brother by my name as if I wasn't gone. He's horrible with loss. You should have seen him when Regulus was sorted into Slytherin."

Lily leaned into James's chest and sighed. She hoped that, if not for her sake for Sirius's, that Michelle would pull through even though the chances were slim. Perhaps all she needed was Sirius to be there. She had heard that people in comas could hear even though they were unconscious. Maybe she would take Sirius's words and remember what she had.

Or, maybe she'd leave them all behind. Perhaps she didn't have a choice and her fate was already predetermined. Lily hoped against fate, that way, Michelle could fight and take the choice to come back. Perhaps, one small event could change everything, like her plans had changed with James.

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**Okay, so next chapter is the last true canon chapter, or actually this was. In the next chapter things start to change. Then, Part II and you can see the effects of this change.**

**Also, some of you might think the scene between McGonagall and Sirius wasn't quite right, but here's my logic. The fact that everyone believed Sirius turned on James (especially after seeing their relationship for seven plus years) annoyed me so much. If someone was like a brother to someone like Sirius was to James, it's not like they would turn on them that quickly (it was only a a few years after they left Hogwarts). Urg, Sirius would never do that (I mean, he hated his family, right? Right. McGonagall would know that he wasn't like that even if he is a Black). Anyway, my logic is that there must have been something that happened that would show people that Sirius could have this potential, thus this whole storyline with Michelle was created and planned out accordingly. It was just him and her against Death Eaters and he's not as badly hurt as she is - suspicious, but we all know Sirius, so it's okay for us.**

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I love reading what you have to say.**


	31. Part I: Reprieve

**Before I say anything else, I'm extremely sorry about the long wait. School is gross. They give more homework than they actually make you do in school. I've spent every free hour lately doing homework and wrote this chapter on Monday and Tuesday morning (as well as a little Sunday - when I wasn't doing my homework). Secondly, this chapter had to be done right for Part Two, another reason it took a while.**

**So, here I am groveling on my hands and knees. This is my longest chapter though! I hope 4500+ words make up for the lack of posting!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part I: Reprieve

Lily awoke the next morning to a pecking noise on the window. She saw an owl sitting on the sill with a letter attached to its leg. She walked toward it, opening the window and taking the letter before it flew off toward the owlery. Recognizing her father's handwriting, although it was a bit messier than usual, she quickly opened the letter and read the context.

_Dearest Lily-pad,_

_While your mother and I don't have words to express that show how happy we are you're alright, we hope Michelle comes out of this. She's a strong girl, Lils. If anyone can come out of something like this – although we don't know magic like you do – we're both sure that she could._

_Your graduation is right around the corner, Lily. We'll both be there. Actually, there's something that I need to tell you, but it can wait until after we find out about Michelle. We do hope she has a speedy recovery._

_Owl us when you can, Lily-pad. Love,_

_Dad and Mum_

Lily smiled at her father's letter, but in the back of her head wondered what her father could possibly want to tell her. James, Remus, and Ivy were still sleeping, so Lily quietly slipped out of the room. She walked down the empty corridors and into the Hospital Wing.

Michelle was sleeping peacefully in her bed. If Lily didn't see the bandages covering her body, she wouldn't have thought anything of the girl and would merely think she was sleeping, not injured to the point that she may not recover. Sirius was sleeping with his head on her mattress, his hands still holding hers. The scene was horrible to look at and she could understand why Madam Pomfrey had allowed Sirius to stay.

Over the days that passed, the situation didn't change much. Sirius stayed in the infirmary by Michelle's side day and night. He barely left, only when he was forced to by McGonagall. Quidditch had been cancelled as the final game was Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw, and none of the Gryffindor boys felt like playing and the Ravenclaw team didn't mind.

The seventh years visited Michelle daily, but they were beginning to run out of hope. Every day that she didn't wake, the chances she would declined rapidly. The students began to move on, and as much as Lily disliked it, she found herself doing so as well.

"So, have you guys set a date?" Ivy asked one morning at breakfast, only days before graduation. Word had spread fast that Lily and James were getting married and nearly every student had come up to her and congratulated her.

She looked up at James and a grin spread across his face. "We were thinking the beginning of fall, like late September or early October probably," he told the group.

Remus nodded. "Right as the leaves are beginning to change color," he said, looking out the window at the sunlight that was pouring in. "It will be lovely."

"Have you thought of a dress?" Ivy asked with a smile.

Lily shrugged. "Well, it will be white," she joked, causing the group to laugh. Peter looked on mildly confused and muttered something about wedding dresses always being white, but no one said anything. Once the chuckling subsided, Lily smiled at Ivy and Remus. "And, we were wondering if you would be a bridesmaid and a groomsman," she added.

"Oh, Lily!" Ivy squealed happily. "Of course!"

"It's an honor," Remus directed to his two friends.

Peter however looked up at James and frowned. "What about me?" he asked, feeling quite left out.

James laughed. "Why, Pete, we were thinking you could be ring bearer," he said jokingly. Peter didn't find the joke funny and his eyes widened angrily. James laughed, "Just kidding. Peter, I want you to be a groomsman, too."

Peter looked relieved and he quickly began to eat his food. The four others talked more about classes and the NEWTS that they had been exempted from. Dumbledore had gone to the ministry to explain what they had been through and after reviewing their grades, the ministry officials decided that their NEWTS wouldn't report their skill levels, as they were still focused on their friend's ill-health.

The doors to the Great Hall burst open and the five turned towards them. A mass of black robes was running down the aisle toward them. As he approached, Lily saw that the boy was Sirius and he launched himself on James. The eyes of the seventh years all widened, as they knew something happened for Sirius to leave the Hospital Wing for any amount of time. It wasn't until he looked up that Lily noticed he was smiling.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed as they fell off the bench and onto the floor. "Get off me!"

"She woke up!" Sirius yelled back, not listening to James. He wrapped his arms around James's neck in excitement and grinned like a mad man. "She woke up! She woke up!"

Ivy screeched loudly, causing Remus to cover his ears beside her, but a smile spread across his face as well. Peter grinned through a mouthful of cereal. Lily felt her eyes fill with tears of happiness. The other students were looking down the table at this point, wondering what the six were up to. James and Sirius were laughing with excitement before Sirius lifted him up and told all of them to follow him to the Hospital Wing.

The six raced to the door and Lily looked back quickly. The Gryffindors had figured out what was going on and were conversing loudly. A few Slytherins were watching them curiously, but one pair of eyes was focused on the group. She was surprised to see a small smile on Regulus's face.

"I still don't understand," Madam Pomfrey was saying to McGonagall and Dumbledore when the six students arrived. "Technically, she should be dead."

"Well, Poppy, sometimes events take a turn for the best and we can do nothing but be thankful," Dumbledore stated, running his fingers on his beard, his eyes sparkling. "Now, I think we should be heading to breakfast and giving the students some time with their classmate."

"Oh, Merlin! You're alive!" Ivy squealed as she and Lily ran to their friend. They each gave her a hug, careful of her still-healing wounds. "Can you remember anything?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, I just remember going into Hogsmeade and then…everything else is blank," she said, her voice barely working. "So, what's happened with you all?"

All the mouths opened to begin saying something, but Ivy beat them all to it. "Lily and James are engaged!" she shouted, taking Lily's hand and flashing it in front of Michelle's face. Michelle's eyes widened.

"Really? Congratulations, you guys!" she said softly. "That's wonderful."

They both thanked her and James grinned, walking to Sirius and patting his back. "Sirius here didn't leave your bedside the whole time."

Michelle turned to him and looked him over. "I did think you were a little pale," she joked, it still apparent in her voice that she was extremely weak.

Sirius grinned and kissed her gently. "I'm just happy you're okay," he told her seriously. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Lily opened her eyes and glanced down at the grassy grounds. It had been three days since Michelle had woken up and it was still shocking to Lily to open her eyes in the morning and see her friend in the bed beside hers. It had all happened so fast that she could barely comprehend what happened. Madam Pomfrey was still amazed that Michelle fought through it. James had jokingly thrown out that love had saved her, although Remus rolled his eyes, telling him that was nearly impossible. Peter had taken quite a liking to the idea and Sirius walked around in a contented trance, almost as if he believed he was living in a dream.

Lily, like Madam Pomfrey and Remus, had thought it couldn't happen, and apparently it was a medical miracle that Michelle was alive, but she was happy it did happen. Michelle was her best friend and she couldn't picture life without her. When Michelle had been discharged, Lily had asked her to be her maid of honor. She couldn't be happier that her friend would have the chance to be at her wedding as she always planned it.

But now Lily looked down at the grassy fields of Hogwarts with a pit in the bottom of her stomach. Today was her last day. It was her last time ever being at Hogwarts as a student. She would be graduating along with her other seventh year classmates and going on to bigger and better things. She was already dressed in her gold graduation robes, waiting for Michelle and Ivy to finish getting ready. Michelle was still a little weak and was finding it difficult to get ready quickly.

The Gryffindors had all been called down to see Dumbledore before graduation. Apparently, it was something important. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were going to meet the three girls in the common room before going up to Dumbledore's office.

"Lily, are you ready?" Ivy asked. Lily turned to see her friends standing in the doorway, dressed in their graduation robes and with broad smiles on their faces. Lily nodded and walked to them, looking around at the room one final time as a student.

They walked down the stairs and immediately pointed out the boys sitting on the couches, complete in red graduation robes. A few sixth years were talking to them. She saw Sirius wink at them once before standing from the couch and approach the girls. He protectively wrapped an arm around Michelle. "So are you girls ready to see what Dumbledore wants with us?" he asked with a smile.

"What if he's telling us we don't graduate?" Peter whined, walking up with James and Remus. It was obvious the boy was scared.

James let out a booming laugh. "I thought that at first too, but we've got Remy in our group," he said, reaching up to ruffle Remus's hair. "There's no way Remus isn't graduating – our smarty-pants."

"Oh, come on, James," Remus said, shaking the boy off as they began their trip to the headmaster's office. "You guys are just as smart as I am."

"No," Sirius interjected. "James and I are_ clever_. That's what Sluggy told us anyway."

They reached the headmaster's office and spoke the password – lemon drops, not that any of them beside Lily and Ivy knew what they were. They climbed the stairs into the office to find Professor Dumbledore sitting at his desk. He wasn't dressed for the graduation ceremony, but instead in normal robes he wore quite often. They had stars and moons on them that matched his half-moon glasses that covered his gleaming blue eyes. His beard seemed longer than Lily remembered and more gray. In many ways, he seemed older.

"Ah, yes," he said with a smile. He motioned for them to move forward. "Today is the day of your graduation from Hogwarts. You'll no longer be students here."

Peter let out a sigh of relief, as if he still hadn't believed they weren't holding him back. James eyed the professor. "What is it that you wanted from us, Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes sparkling. "You don't remember, Mr. Potter? I would have thought you would have." He looked each of his pupils in the eye. "How many of you have heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

There were a few noises and a few nods from the awestruck teenagers. Dumbledore's smile increased with their awe. "Well, I'd like to ask for your membership. We need a few good minds. Young minds to add a different perspective. I believe you will all exceed in this extremely well."

Lily looked around the room. James and Sirius were smiling from ear to ear, eager to be able to join the group they had wanted to months before. Peter looked up with wide eyed excitement at the fact that Dumbledore was allowing him to join such a group. Michelle and Ivy were both smiling, but Remus looked skeptical.

"You'd allow me to join, Professor?" Remus asked quietly. "Even with my problem?"

Dumbledore looked at the boy through his half-moon spectacles. "And why don't you think I wouldn't allow it? Remus, you would be a wonderful addition to this. I, as well as the rest of the Order, would value your membership greatly."

A smile spread across Remus's face. James and Sirius approached the desk, their eyes shining. "Where do we put our names down?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "All you need to do is tell me." All the students nodded their heads. "Good. Now, as you're all competent duelists, you'll forgo auror training and be trained by our members. I believe that will not only be beneficial to you, but to the Order as well. We need you as soon as possible."

Dumbledore nodded his head. "And you all know that you can't speak of this to anyone," he said quietly.

"Yes, Professor," they all spoke.

"Good, now, I'll see you all at graduation," he said. "This conversation never happened," he added with a wink.

The seven walked out of the office and toward Professor McGonagall's room. None of them said a word, but they were all thinking the same thing. They were part of the Order of the Phoenix. It was an immense honor, as the Order was made of the most skilled witches and wizards of the age. When they arrived at their old transfiguration room, each of them had realized what this meant. It gave them a purpose.

McGonagall was waiting for them at the door to her room. She was dressed in a black robe flowing with red and gold details. She seemed to be a bit nervous, as she was pacing the floor. When they arrived, she stopped and 0looked up at them. Lily almost thought she saw tears in the stern woman's eyes.

"Potter, Evans, you have your speeches?" she asked quickly, her lips thin. James and Lily both nodded. "Good; and all of you are ready?" The rest of the group nodded as well. "Follow me."

They walked in rows, two by two with Peter last and no one beside him with Cecily's absence. They arrived at the Great Hall just as Professor Slughorn was bringing his students up from the dungeons. Lily spotted Severus leading the group, a cold look on his face as he stood beside Cornelia Parkinson, a pug-faced girl whose older brother had graduated the year before. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were already there.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and the heads of houses led their students into the hall to their seats at the front of the room. Parents were filling the rows, seated by house. Lily found it sad that the Gryffindors had the fewest parents, only hers, Remus's, Ivy's, and Peter's were there. The Blacks hadn't shown, not wanting to support their son, and in their place was a woman with long black hair. She had a small girl in her lap who was clapping loudly and couldn't have been more than four. Her hair changed color rapidly from black to red to gold and she started to squeal when she saw Sirius. The D'Aubignes hadn't been expected. They hadn't even been concerned when they were informed of their daughter's situation. They had merely written to Dumbledore that they didn't care what happened to her if she were to die, as she was no longer their daughter. The Potters were obviously unable to attend, as they were six feet under in a graveyard somewhere in England.

That left Lily's, Ivy's, Remus's, and Peter's families. Lily spotted her father quickly, seeing his red hair from a distance, but was surprised to see it had lost some of its vibrancy. He, like Dumbledore, seemed older to her and almost too pale. Her mother was seated beside him. Ivy's parents were also easy to pick out. They were dressed in their muggle clothes, brightly colored shirts that looked out of place, and looked around with mixed feelings of excitement and caution. She assumed the woman beside her mother was Peter's mother, as she was a short, squat woman with the same blond hair and watery blue eyes as her son. Two people who must have been Remus's parents were close by and dressed in older robes. His father's seemed to be fraying at the seams, but they watched their son proudly.

Dumbledore spoke quickly of the group, telling the parents how wonderful it had been to see them grow into the adults they had become. He passed off the platform to the heads of the houses, who talked more personally about their students. McGonagall even shed a tear when telling the parents of her students and their "adventurous natures and incredible wit." Finally, Dumbledore introduced Lily and James as Head Girl and Boy. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs all cheered. The Slytherins watched quietly, some even glared, but Lily noticed Severus watching with what seemed to be remorse.

They stood together at the podium to address the crowd. Lily, who had never been exceptionally good at public speaking, made her speech quickly and allowed James to take the spotlight. Lily didn't hear much of what he was saying. Instead, she was watching him, his movements. She was going to spend the rest of her life with James and she couldn't be happier. For the first time in weeks, Lily felt truly content with everything that was going on around her.

She looked down at the students. All were watching and listening to James intently, even the Slytherins were looking for a small glimmer of hope as they entered the next stages of their lives. Her eyes slowly left the boys and girls in green and silver, her eyes passing over Severus quickly, and landed on the Gryffindors. They had changed their seats from the ones they'd been assigned. Sirius was now sitting beside Michelle, both focused on James, but also aware of themselves. Remus and Ivy were watching James with small smiles and Peter looked up in fascination. Lily loved the effect James had on people.

Her eyes scanned the room once more and she frowned, noticing the door opened in the back. A small head was peaking through and she saw short black hair and a pair of familiar, yet foreboding gray eyes. As Lily and James walked off the stage, she kept her eyes on him. She thought he might leave after the Slytherins were given their diplomas, but he remained in the doorway through the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well. Professor McGonagall went up to call names in alphabetical order, therefore calling Sirius first. He grabbed his diploma and lifted it in the air before jumping off in excitement. Lily turned back to the door and saw a small flicker in the eyes of Regulus Black before the door closed and he disappeared.

Lily had never felt as much exhilaration as she felt when she was given her diploma, signifying that her Hogwarts career was over. It was done. She, as well as all of her friends, was going on to another world. She sat down in her seat and watched Remus, Peter, and James go to McGonagall. Then, the ceremony had ended, much like her schooling. It was over before she even noticed it began.

She walked to her parents. They were standing at the end of the hall, smiling at her with broad grins. She had invited Petunia, just for the sake of pleasing her mother, but hadn't even received a reply that she wasn't going. This didn't bother Lily. She ran to her parents, but slowed when she noticed her father.

He had always been a slender man, but in the months that she had been away it seemed as if he had wasted away to nothing. His skin had paled considerably, and was nearly translucent against his vibrant red hair, which appeared duller than normal. The man that was looking at her wasn't her father, but a wizened old man and her heart began to sink, remembering his need to tell her something.

Her mother hugged her once before walking off to see James and Michelle, where she would meet Sirius for the first time, as the boy was glued to Michelle's side. Ivy was with her parents and they were arguing in the distance. Lily looked back up to her father and the two walked out of the hall, at a much slower pace than Lily would have liked, and around the grounds. Her father smiled as he surveyed the landscape.

"This is a beautiful place, Lily-pad," he said quietly, his eyes like a child's in a candy store. He stopped and turned to her, looking down at her because, even with his condition, he still easily towered over her. "I have something to tell you."

Lily nodded, but she already knew what he was going to say. There was no doubt what was happening, just by looking at his barely-there body and his dulled features. His eyes, the bright blue she remembered from childhood, had paled considerably, so much in fact that she barely recognized them.

"I wasn't going to tell you," he told her, taking a deep breath. "But your mother told me that it is for the best that you know. I had decided that if Michelle hadn't healed I was not going to say a word."

Her father wobbled on his feet and Lily felt her eyes glisten with tears. Her father, Logan Evans, the same man who had intimidated James Potter a few months before, was unsteady. "Lily, I don't have that much time left," he said slowly, trying to let the words sink in. "After you and James left, your mother insisted I go to the doctor for that cough I had. I was stubborn and didn't go until it was too late. Now there's nothing I can do."

Her father didn't need to say what was ailing him. It was a known fact that people in her town succumbed early from the thick smoke that escaped from the industrial mill smokestacks. Her father had cancer; it wasn't hard to figure out and she wasn't going to make him say it.

"You weren't going to tell me?" she asked, not believing that her father was going to leave her in the dark about something this important.

He nodded solemnly. "Lily, I was just about to write you a letter when the owl came with the news about Michelle. I wasn't going to force onto you the grief of losing your best friend and then your father at the same time." He paused for a moment to catch his breath. "I figured, if I didn't tell you, you'd become angry with me and it wouldn't be as hard for you. You're a lot more like me than you realize."

Lily didn't say anything and he continued. "Lils, I saw how happy you are. I didn't need that comfort because I saw that you had James and he's not going away. I thought that by not telling you, it would save you pain, you'd become angry and it wouldn't hurt as much to lose your best friend and me. But, since Michelle is alright, your mother has convinced me that you need to know."

She stared at her father for a brief moment before looking down at her hand. In the bright, June sunlight, her ring glistened. But her eyes widened and she turned, sprinting away. Her father was calling out to her, but she continued running away, her gold robes flying behind her in the wind. When she reached the castle she saw that the students and their families had made their way to the fields. Finding James, she ran to him and stopped before him.

"What is it?" he asked, seeing her eyes full of tears and her heavy breaths.

She told him the entire story, every last detail. "We have to get married now," she told him. "We can't wait until fall, my father will be gone by then and I want him to be there. He should at least be able to see one of his daughters marry a man he actually likes."

"I agree," James said, his eyes scanning behind her for the redheaded man. She knew James would understand, having lost his own parents. "When, Lils? You tell me and I'm there."

"As soon as possible," she replied without hesitation. She looked up at the sky and noticed a small black cloud heading toward them, growing as it rolled through the innocent air, raining on the land it had already passed over and before long it would rain on Hogwarts as well. It was a thunderstorm, with gusts of wind and a downpour that wouldn't cease until it had flooded the grounds and caked the grass with filthy mud.

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**So, here it is. The deed was done and Michelle got a reprieve. This is how everything changes (as hinted in Logan's speech to Lily). I'm still not 100 percent happy with it, I thought it seemed a bit rushed.**

**But the real question is: what do you think? I hope I don't lose you guys as this travels into the AU section of the story. You guys have been so faithful and awesome with your reviews. I can honestly say I love you all (but not in that creepy way…)**

**Thank you for reading! And hopefully the beginning of Part Two will be up soon! Review!**


	32. Part II: Logan's Eyes

**Sorry about the long lapse in updating. I took some time to sort out this part and make a web and everything, because things have to be done perfectly or else this will go all wrong. In this chapter you see the AU take effect and you'll all notice it.**

**Here's chapter 1 of part 2!**

**Enjoy!**

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"The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go often wrong / Go oft' astray."

– Robert Burns, _To a Mouse_

Part II: Logan's Eyes

It was in the difficult times of Lily's life that she often thought about what could have happened if certain things hadn't occurred. There were two major events that came to mind when her thoughts wandered like this. She would think of her father and she would think of Michelle.

She knew deep in her heart that her father had been right when he told her she would be angry at him. If he had died without telling her that he was sick, she would have been devastated and would learn to hate him just as she learned to hate Petunia. Perhaps, she would have left her whole family behind her. It wouldn't have been difficult, as she and Petunia didn't even send each other birthday letters or Christmas cards. Lily would have blamed her mother for not forcing her father to tell her. While she loved both her parents, she had always had a better relationship with her father.

But, on the same note, she wondered if she would ever be able to hate her father forever. Looking at two of her best friends, she knew that it could be extremely easy to leave your family behind with no remorse for the situation at all. But, Lily didn't know, as she had never gotten the chance to hate her father before his untimely demise.

It almost seemed to Lily as she had been given a second chance with her father. She spent every moment she wasn't doing Order business with him for the final months before he passed. He had been able to see her wedding, able to give her away. And, while he wasn't her father in the physical strength aspect, he was still Dad.

Her wedding had been beautiful, especially given that they pushed the date up three months. It was small, just as Lily and James wanted it to be, with only their friends, family, and a few professors from school. Her father had walked with her down the aisle, although she was holding up more of his weight than he was. It was slow and steady, her father's determined face giving her all the strength in the world to battle everything she knew she and James would in the future. When they approached James, her father had hugged her, patted her cheek as he had when she was younger, and turned to James.

"You take care of my little girl," he said sternly, with a small wink to show that he was teasing. James's eyes widened and then relaxed.

"Of course I will, Mr. Evans," he had replied.

Her father had shaken his head and turned to walk to his seat. He patted Lily's arm. "How many times do I have to tell the boy my name is Logan," he whispered. "Ah well, at least he's got manners…"

Lily remembered giggling at the comment, knowing he was insinuating that James was a much better choice than Petunia's: the lovely Vernon Dursley.

The night had worn on with dancing and the inevitable best man speech, which was scaring many of the Hogwarts professors. As James's best man, Sirius was to give the speech. Many of the teachers, namely Professor McGonagall, looked up frightened every time the bells chimed and their head of house had even expressed her feelings that Remus should make the speech instead, which caused Sirius to put his hand over his heart and say "Minnie, I'm hurt," in a joking tone. Sirius, like Lily herself, wasn't a great public speaker, but unlike Lily it was because he tended to add in immature commentary.

Surprisingly, Sirius's speech had lived up to his name and was one of the most beautiful she had ever heard. When James and Michelle were dancing, Sirius walked up to Lily and sat in James's seat. "So, how did I do?" he asked. "Should Remus have done it?"

"No, you were wonderful," she said honestly. "You really have grown up, Sirius." She thought she saw a faint trace of a blush on his cheeks. Her father had walked up after she had finished and confirmed Lily's opinions before kissing his daughter's cheek and telling her that he was being forced home to bed by her mother.

Lily remained by her father's side until he took his final breath at a muggle hospital near her hometown. Many days James would come with her, especially in the days leading to his death, as he knew what she was going through. But, on the final day, she was by herself when machines began to flicker and scream. Her father had been looking at her, and even with a tube down his throat, his blue eyes were staring at her intently, as if warning her of what was to come. And, when his eyes finally closed moments before the room was filled with sound, he gently squeezed her hand and appeared peaceful.

On that day, she sat in his room even after they had taken his body away. She was deep in thought, wondering what her life would have been like. Her father said if Michelle had died, he wouldn't tell her, and that always fueled her curious nature. She hated thinking about it, but it never left her mind.

Firstly, she and James wouldn't have married when she had received the news of her father's death, but instead the excited planning for an extravagant wedding would have been halted. But, certain things she kept out of her mind. Sirius, for one, she didn't think about. She had seen him in the hospital wing, keeping his grip on hope even when all the others had let theirs slip away. He would have been emotionally scarred, she feared, and like James had said, would revert back to his old self, instead of growing with the others. She didn't think about Michelle to the same extent as she did her father on this subject. She was happy her best friend was alive and well, and her father would have died no matter what.

After her father died in early July, Lily returned to her work for the Order. She and James had an apartment in London so they could stay close to the headquarters. Sirius and Michelle often stopped by. They lived near Lily and James, across the city from Sirius's childhood home, where he never wanted to go again. Remus would stop by on occasion, although he was usually working for Dumbledore. The headmaster had taken it upon himself to help the poor werewolf out. Peter would stroll by, but not nearly as often as the others, and Lily didn't mind. Much to Ivy's chagrin, her parents, fully aware of the war surrounding their daughter, had literally pulled her from the magical world and back to her hometown where they were certain they wouldn't lose their daughter to an evil dark wizard. Lily hadn't heard from her since graduation and all of her owls came back unanswered.

But, Lily's Order work went from fieldwork to deskwork extremely quickly. It wasn't as if they were trying, what with the war getting stronger and members of the Order finding themselves in compromising conditions with Death Eaters every day, but in November Lily found herself not feeling well. At first, Sirius's joking that there would be a little Potter running around had been funny, but as the weeks wore on and Lily didn't feel better, she began to worry it was true.

She and James had talked frequently about the subject. They both wanted children but with the war escalating, it would be selfish of them to bring a child into a world filled with such hate. In many ways, Lily reverted back into her childhood self, believing that if she didn't acknowledge it than it couldn't be true. Finally James, along with Michelle and Sirius, had convinced her that she needed to go to the healers and get checked out.

When she found out that she was indeed expecting, Lily felt guiltier than she ever had before. She spent the night crying into James's chest about how she was a horrible mother for bringing a child into a war torn world. James had let her cry and when there were no more tears left, he kissed her forehead and half-smiled down at her. "Well," he said with a sigh, "as awful as this sounds, the damage is done, Lils. All we can do now is hope for a healthy baby."

And that's what they did. They realized that babies had to be born in good times and bad. She looked at others around her and noticed there were plenty of other families that were expanding. The Weasleys had added twins to their family in April, right before Lily had graduated. At an appointment, Lily also found that one of her Ravenclaw friends who had been a year ahead of her, Georgina Hammond – now Georgina Bell, was expecting a baby girl in December. This eased Lily's mind slightly, but she found that the guilt she had turned into trepidation and even a bit of excitement as the months continued to fly by before her eyes.

Her mother had been shocked to find out of the news and apparently Petunia had used this to rocket herself in their mother's eyes. Elizabeth Evans was convinced that Lily was too young, that she was throwing her life away, and told her daughter this when Lily had gone to the house to tell her mother personally. Petunia had been sitting with them, having tea with her mother when Lily arrived. A smug expression had played on her lips as she sipped her tea and watched the interaction of her mother and sister.

"Lily darling, I understood that you wanted your father at your wedding, but don't you think you're going a bit fast," Elizabeth spoke with her teeth nearly grinding together.

And, even though Lily had to agree, she hated the fact that her mother was degrading her. She wished her father was still alive because he would have supported her even if he didn't agree. He had allowed Petunia to marry Vernon even though he didn't approve – granted he made his opinions known about his disapproval.

"I'm an adult," she responded tensely.

"Barely," Petunia had interjected. "Vernon and I are waiting for an opportune moment so we don't end up like you and your freak of a husband."

Lily remembered turning to her mother, waiting for her to scold Petunia, but it never came. Her mother merely looked into her teacup while Petunia smirked at Lily. "Haha, I won, you lost," Lily read in her dark, sinister eyes. She turned on her heel, not looking back at either her mother or sister as she exited the home, even as Petunia called after her, telling her that she should have listened when she said not to trust freaks like James Potter.

On her way home she had stopped by her father's grave. She laid herself on the dying grass as a cold chill filled the winter air. A light dusting of snow began to fall as Lily traced the letters of her father's name of the headstone. Her father seemed to be the only person who could understand her in the Evans household, and now that he was gone, she felt utterly and entirely alone.

Lily didn't hear anything from her mother or sister as the new year began. She pushed her remaining family members from her mind and lived as if they didn't exist. She and James spent time together, knowing that their time alone would decrease when the baby arrived. For the first few months of 1979 they were fully indulged in each other, rarely allowing anyone else inside.

As her stomach began to grow, people around her began to baby her. Lily, who hated being helpless, found this situation horrible. After about a month, she had grown so tired of it that she nearly beheaded Sirius for asking if she needed help one afternoon. James had chuckled, having learned earlier to avoid the question and received a slap to the back of his head from his best friend.

As June approached, there were many things that needed to be taken care of before the baby's arrival. Lily and James's apartment was much too small for the growing family, but James told her not to worry; he had it all figured out. He'd bought a house he knew she'd love in a small community called Godric's Hollow. They had the necessities, such as a crib and clothes in neutral colors – as they decided on having the gender be a surprise. And, of course, there was the issue of names.

Lily, who was convinced the baby was a boy, decided that they didn't need to think of girl's names, but James would shake his head and offer a name that Lily would shrug off. Lily knew it was a boy, despite the fact that they hadn't checked. She didn't know how, but she knew she would have felt something if it was a girl, the girl she didn't want. The girl that would constantly remind her of her strained relationship with Petunia and her mother.

"James, believe me, I know," she said one night as they pondered through the various baby-name books on their bed.

He rolled his eyes and pointed at the little pink names. "Don't you think we should have a name picked out, you know, just in case you're wrong?" he challenged with daring in his eyes.

She looked down at the book and smirked. "Olivia," she said, picking the first name her eyes had fallen on. "Olivia Potter."

James laughed, shaking his head at her reaction. "Okay," he said. He pulled out the list of names they had made and looked it over. "So, what ones are we really considering?"

She glanced over and looked at the names. The list wasn't extremely long, but she knew which three she was really considering. She kept her eyes locked on them, the three she had told Michelle and Ivy about nearly a year before: Logan, Jamison, and Harry.

She took James's quill and scratched out the rest of the names and turned to see his reaction. He looked at her with a smile. "I see you've been thinking about this," he said quietly. "How did you come up with these?"

"I don't know, I just always liked these," she said honestly. "I always wanted to name one of my sons after my father and I know you hate the idea of having a son named after you, but I figured Jamison is different enough that you won't seem conceited." She leaned into him. "And I guess I just like the name Harry, although it sounds more like a nickname than a proper name in my opinion."

He nodded and thought for a moment. "Well, I think that narrows the list considerably," he said. "We just need to pick one and a middle name, of course."

It was in the difficult times of Lily's life that she thought about how her life could have been different. At times, she wondered how she would have lived without being Mrs. Potter, without having her best friend beside her, without knowing of her father's impending death. She wondered how different it would have been. Would James have bought the adorable cottage in Godric's Hollow, where the neighbors were friendly and kind to the soon-to-be parents? Would she and James be married on the fifth of June, an exact year after their graduation, or would she still be dealing with the heartache of her father's unknown death?

She didn't know these details, nor would she ever, but she did know one thing. She knew that if her father hadn't told her, on June fifth, the exact day - although a year later - that her father told her of his illness, she wouldn't be looking into the large, blue eyes of a tiny, baby boy who already looked so much like James it was uncanny.

Except for his eyes, she noted. He had her father's eyes. He had Logan Evans's bright blue eyes which made the new parents smile at each other. The name they had chosen fit perfectly.

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**So, I hope I haven't scared people away with this change, but this has been part of my plan for the whole time I was writing this. I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. Did any of you catch the double meaning of the title?**

**Review!**


	33. Part II: Firstborn Potter

**Okay, so I don't think I made this clear enough in the last chapter. The year is 1979, not 1980, so therefore…dun dun dun…this baby is not Harry (or at least not the Harry we know from canon). I thought I'd made it clear enough, but by the masses of reviews that told me Harry's eyes are green, I suppose I didn't do a good enough job.**

**So, this is where I said the story would turn AU, and that's what happened. I hope I haven't confused anyone. This chapter's not nearly as long as the previous, and for that I'm dreadfully sorry. I had a stressful school week.**

**Thanks for all the reviews! **

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Firstborn Potter

Lily looked down at the bundle in her arms with a smile that could only seem to grow. James sat on the bed beside her, a similar smile to hers spread from ear to ear. His finger was in the baby's clenched fist and the two parents looked down at the boy with love. This was their son and Lily had never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

The baby boy that Lily held in her arms looked around with wide, blue eyes as if inspecting his parents. James was talking to him in hushed tones and the baby would smile, showing a toothless mouth. His eyes sparkled gleefully, reminding Lily of her father. She looked up at James. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked, carefully trading the baby.

Lily felt a pang of loss when she lost contact with the little boy, but the feeling subsided when she noticed James's broad grin. "Would you look at those eyes," James said quietly, still in awe of the baby he held in his arms. He looked at Lily. "The bright blue eyes of his namesake."

She nodded and continued to watch the father and son. James rocked the baby gently, his eyes not leaving the little boy's face. He had a small tuft of black hair that was already looking to be unruly like James's, even though he was only an hour old. James leaned down and kissed the baby's forehead. There was a small noise from the blankets and Lily smiled. James stole a glance to her before looking back down at their son.

Their son, she thought as her heart filled with happiness

"Happy birthday, Logan," James whispered to the baby, continuing to rock the blue-blanketed bundle in his arms. "Mummy and Daddy have been waiting for you."

Lily's smile grew larger even though her face was beginning to hurt. But she couldn't stop. She felt a rush of pride seep through her as she looked at her son. He looked like what Lily imagined a baby James would have looked like nineteen years before with subtle differences. Of course, he had the bright blue, almond-shaped eyes that Lily knew would always remind her of her father. They were the type of blue eyes she knew wouldn't change within the weeks after birth.

The door to the room at St. Mungo's opened a crack and the two looked up. Logan looked around at the noise as well, but he didn't cry. Sirius pushed his head through the door and looked at the two parents with a grin. "So, what's the verdict? Boy? Girl? Ten fingers? Ten toes?" he asked with a wink.

James chuckled. "Boy and all accounted for," he told the dark haired man.

Sirius opened the door wider and turned around. "Baby boy Potter has all ten fingers and all ten toes," he told the people behind him before walking into the room and standing at James's side to look down at the baby. Michelle and Remus walked in and greeted Lily and James.

"What's his name?" Michelle asked, looking at James and Logan with a grin.

Lily looked up at James, but he nodded to her. They hadn't told their friends of the name they had chosen, partly because they were still unsure as to which of the three names to choose. She felt that it would be better not to become attached to a name and look into the baby's tiny eyes and say to herself, this is wrong. They'd thought about Jamison, but James was adamant that he didn't want his son named after him, although Lily herself didn't think that was the same as naming the boy James Jr., and they were still having trouble with the name Harry, partly because Lily and James both felt that it was too much of a nickname. But, she knew if she looked into the baby's eyes and saw he was a Harry, she would have put aside her prejudices, and if the baby was a Jamison, she would have talked with James. But looking into the baby's eyes, they both knew the decision had already been made. "Logan Hart Potter," she said proudly.

Remus nodded his head in approval. "That's a good name, you two."

"Where did it come from?" Sirius asked with his eyes still focused on the little boy. James turned to look at him incredulously and he glanced up. "I meant the middle name! What do you think – I'm an idiot?"

James shrugged and Sirius sent him a glare, while Remus laughed on the other side of the bed. A small noise that sounded like a giggle erupted from the blankets and James laughed even harder than before. Lily and Michelle glanced at each other, each giggling as well and Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, laugh at Uncle Sirius why don't you," he told the little boy whose blue eyes were filled with wonderment. Sirius looked at the group of adults. "But really, where'd you get it? Is it a family name?"

Lily shook her head and James smiled broadly. "Hart means stag," he told the group. "So he's got a little Lily and a little me as well."

"Oh, that's adorable," Michelle cooed as Sirius shook his head at the baby.

"Yeah, he's got a lot of you," Sirius said, looking from the baby to James warily. "The poor thing looks exactly like his daddy. It's okay, Logan, we won't put it against you that you got the bad genes."

"What is this: Make Fun of James Day?" James asked as the group laughed again.

Sirius shrugged. "You started it," he replied.

The adults all chuckled and Logan's little face lit up in a toothless grin. James turned to Sirius and gently held the bundle to his best friend. "Do you want to hold your godson?" he asked with a smirk.

Sirius's face dropped and he looked back and forth between the two new parents, as if trying to figure out which one was crazier. He settled in on James, his eyes wide in disbelief. "I thought you were joking the other day!" he exclaimed. "Why would you pick me over Remus? I'm barely responsible for myself!"

James shrugged, still holding the baby out to Sirius. "Well, we were going to pick Remus, but he declined," he joked, but then stopped with a chuckle and a smile. "Just kidding, Siri. There's no question in my mind or Lily's that you and Michelle will be great godparents."

Usually, there would have been a sly comeback, the predictable best friend slander, but Sirius said nothing in response. He merely looked down at the baby being held by his best friend, as if for the first time truly understanding it was a tiny life. Sirius looked at Lily, his eyes asking for her permission. She merely nodded and he extended his arms to James, carefully taking the fragile bundle in his arms. He walked to Michelle with the largest smile Lily had ever seen on his face.

"Look," he said quietly, sitting beside her.

Lily took this moment to look at Remus. He was watching the display and she reached out, placing her hand on his. He looked up and she saw that the amber had a hint of blue in them. "We knew you'd never accept any title, but we were hoping you'd be an honorary uncle of some sort," she said softly, her words drowned by the happy voices of the others in the room.

Remus nodded, looking up at Lily and then James, who had turned away from Sirius and Michelle to listen to the response. "I'll be there for him," the werewolf said, a tinge of guilt in his voice as a smile spread across his face.

Both James and Lily began to grin. James looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Peter?" he asked, noticing for the first time in all the excitement that the small man was missing from the group.

Sirius shrugged, looking over Michelle's shoulder at the baby he had handed off to her. "No idea, but it probably has something to do with the Order," he said quietly.

"I just feel like we never see him anymore," James added unnecessarily. "He's always off doing something, it's like he does more than we do."

Remus shrugged. "Dumbledore never had a predictable philosophy."

"That's for sure," Sirius muttered. "I wouldn't send Pete out to do anything important." He moved his finger in front of Logan's face, the baby's hand grasping onto to limber, adult fingers. "Yeah, you'll meet Uncle Peter soon," he cooed in a voice not many people would associate with Sirius Black.

Sirius looked up after a moment and shrugged. "But, then again, Dumbledore could be using him because no one would think of him as doing anything important for the Order," he said. "Perhaps," he drawled out, looking back down at the baby, "our Peter is more than we think he is."

Lily smiled. She would love to see Peter make something for himself. While she didn't generally like the boy, well man now she supposed, it would be good for him to be a part of something important, something that he could be proud of that his other friends hadn't already claimed. He wasn't athletic, popular, or a brilliant mind, and he did more scurrying around under people's feet than walking among them.

She looked around the room at the group of laughing adults and in her mind, she felt like everything was nearly perfect. Nearly, because she felt there were some missing links. She wished her father could have been there, been able to see his grandson, or even known about him. Then there were also her missing friends. She had tried to owl Ivy, but it was no use as all of her owls came back with her letters unread. She thought about Cecily and wondered what her former friend was up to in Bulgaria.

But, looking around at the energetic faces of James, Sirius, Michelle, and Remus, she realized that things change often in life and she would have to deal with them. She had Michelle in her life, but so many other people had to be sacrificed, whether it was her father or Ivy or Cecily, that she began to hate the war. Because, in the end, that's what everything came down to. War. It was a harsh word. A single syllable that had taken Cecily and Ivy away because of their parents' fear, that had almost killed Michelle.

And it seemed to always loom in the back of Lily's mind. War. She wondered if they would still be fighting when Logan was able to fully comprehend what was going on. Would the war be over? And if it was, would they win or lose? It was a thought constantly on her mind as well as everyone else's.

Logan let out a small yawn and the sound of cooing adults brought Lily out of her reveries. Logan had reached Remus's arms by this point and the werewolf was walking toward her to give her the tiny bundle. He smiled as he placed the baby in her arms.

"He's beautiful, Lily," he said earnestly.

"Thank you, Remus," she whispered, noticing Logan had already closed his little eyes. Sirius clapped James on the back and the three adults bid their goodbyes with faint reminders of the happiness as they exited the room into the darkness of the war torn afternoon. As the door shut behind them, James turned back to her. He walked to the bed and sat down beside her, resting his arm on her shoulders and kissing her forehead.

"I love you," he told her quietly, simply, and undeniably honest.

She nodded. "I know," she responded. "I love you, too."

He leaned down and kissed her lips as the infant in Lily's arms continued to nap, worn out by the excitement the day had brought. Lily smiled. It was June fifth, 1979, and in the bland hospital room, she felt at ease despite the horrors around her because she was sharing the moment with her best friend, her confidant, the one man she knew would hold her heart for ever, and one tiny soul that rested perfectly in the crook of her embrace, just as she rested in James's without a flaw.

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**So, what do you all think?**

**Review!**


	34. Part II: Wolfsbane Potion

**Thanks for the reviews! You guys are great!**

**Here's the next chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Wolfsbane Potion

It had only been a little over a month and Lily already felt as if she and James were the most popular residents of Godric's Hollow. Of course, this may have been caused by the arrival of Logan to the small village, which was overwhelmingly occupied by young mothers that liked to coo over each other's children. But, this lead Lily to believe it was the best place to raise children, a muggle village in the most wizard tolerant area of England. And, even though the Potter family home was on the outskirts of the tiny town, the residents were friendly and walked down the road just to say hello.

Most of the residents, Lily knew, were Muggles, but there were wizards and witches that lived there. Farther out of town from Lily and James was Bathilda Bagshot, the author of _A History of Magic_, and even further out was a small family with two boys around Hogwarts age. But, Lily found that the Muggles were friendly and she was able to carry conversations with them. She generally tried to be with James when they were in their yard so he didn't look like a deer in headlights when the Muggle from down the road began speaking of their car breaking down or one of their appliances not working.

The women in town adored Logan. From the first day that Lily and James brought him home, the women were all over him, cooing and smiling, telling James that he looked exactly like him and giving the baby toys that he could play with. Of course, Logan already had plenty of toys, such as stuffed unicorns and a mobile of pixies given to him by his doting godparents.

The Muggle toys interested James more than they did Logan, who preferred the stuff dog that barked and moved over the one that stood still. He would glare at the dog in confusion, wondering why the mouth didn't open and it didn't bark at his father when James entered the room. His face would wrinkle as he reached for the dog with his arms, while James would toss the toys from hand to hand, wondering how Muggle children remained occupied with anything of the sort.

James was forced back to work for the Order nearly as soon as they brought Logan home. They bought a car so they would fit in with the Muggles and not arouse suspicion. James, who confounded the examiner into believing he had already taken the road test to get his license, would drive down the road like the other Muggles in town before veering off and shrinking the car, placing it in his pocket and apparating to a location near the Order headquarters. And, when James had gone, Lily was left with time to get to know the neighbors.

She would walk with Logan down into the village square and pretend to mail letters, often addressed to fake friends or Michelle, who had been relatively shocked to find a letter in a box outside her apartment one day and had Sirius blow it up, fearing what was inside. There was also a pub that they would walk past which was owned by an elderly man named Ellery who always smiled and waved to her. It seemed that every time she took her daily walk, she and Logan were stopped by Mrs. Mayberry, a woman who appeared to be her mother's age that coddled Logan for a good hour each day. But, what Lily found good about Godric's Hollow, was that there was a fair amount of children running around and the small village always seemed to be adding one more to the vibrant array of toddlers running around the moor.

Lily woke up one morning and walked to the crib by her bed. She looked down to see Logan smiling up at her. He was a very happy child and he seldom cried. Sirius often joked with her and James that their next child would have "lungs of steel" and not be nearly as good of a baby as Logan was. She reached down and cradled the little boy in her arms as he gurgled contentedly at his mother's touch.

"Good morning, my beautiful, sweet little boy," she said softly, placing a kiss on his forehead and stroking his dark locks. His crystalline blue eyes glistened happily.

She carried him in her arms down the stairs and placed him in his baby carrier that was on the kitchen table so she could ready his milk. She heard him squeal behind her and she turned. His pudgy baby fingers were reaching toward _the Daily Prophet_ that had an article blinking in various colors. She walked forward, taking the newspaper in her hands and looked down at the paper. The blinking was obviously James's doing.

There were a few words scrawled in the margin telling her to read it, so she looked down and let her eyes skim the words.

_Belby Receives Order of Merlin_

_Damocles Belby, a recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has received the Order of Merlin for his discovery of a potion to prevent the dementia of a werewolf during transformation. The potion, called Wolfsbane, doesn't cure lycanthropy, but is said by many to be a werewolf's best friend. The potion, when administered prior to a full moon, should allow a werewolf to keep his right mind when transforming to the animal form. It is highly difficult and only witches and wizards with high levels of potions mastery should attempt (continued on back page)._

Lily felt her eyes widen. She had known Damocles Belby only through Slughorn. Like herself, the Ravenclaw had been one of the Potions professor's favorite students. Lily quickly flipped to the final page where she found a note James had written to her. It gave her the ingredients and directions which he had owled Dumbledore for upon reading the article. Lily couldn't believe it, there was something to help Remus.

In the year since her graduation, Lily felt that her life was a mere summary, going entirely too fast for her liking. Now, it had slowed down considerably and she felt almost like a nuisance to the Order, as she was unable to work. This was her chance to add something, if not only for Remus, for the Order as well. This could potentially help many werewolves to change their alliances from Voldemort to Dumbledore.

She placed the newspaper down and leaned in to look at her son. He looked up with wide eyes and smiled, trying to reach out for his mother. She had been shocked that Logan had grasped control of his limbs so quickly, but James had assured her that it was normal for magical youth, especially those with "quidditch skills like his will be," James had boasted.

"How would you like to go to Diagon Alley, Logan?" she asked in the high pitched voice she had heard so many of her friends use while around him. He continued to smile and Lily couldn't help wonder if he would have continued to smile even if she told him that she was going to take away his favorite toy.

She finished his bottle and fed him quickly, neglecting to make herself breakfast, and walked to the fireplace. Logan had travelled by floo before and now that she had taken him through it, she was less nervous about bringing him through the green fire. She quickly grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped in the fireplace, holding carefully onto Logan's carrier.

The streets of Diagon Alley were always bustling with people, even in the middle of July when Hogwarts letters were still a few weeks off. She quickly maneuvered her way through the crowds and into the Apothecary, placing a spell over Logan so he wouldn't have to smell the scent of bad eggs and rotten cabbage that emanated from the store. She thought that Logan might have screamed when he saw the fangs hanging from the ceiling, but he merely looked up curiously.

"What is it you would like, my lady?"

She turned to the clerk, a man with short blond hair and a jagged smile. She handed him her list and he nodded, going to work to find her all the items. It was a fairly extensive list, but the man found all the ingredients with ease. She paid and thanked him for his time and left, not wanting to expose Logan to the dark and damp store for longer than necessary.

She looked down at Logan and smiled, seeing his eyes wandering at the all the interesting shops. She decided to walk down the street for a bit, allow him to explore the area. His eyes rested on the store across from his line of vision, Quality Quidditch Supplies. She shook her head, knowing if James was there he would be proud that, while Logan didn't know what he was looking at, he was staring at quidditch supplies.

Two small redheaded boys scurried past her and pressed their noses to the window, staring in awe at the newest racing broom out on the market. The older one was probably eight and the younger one around six, but both boys looked longing at the broom in the window.

"It's the best broom out there!" the older one said, pointing wildly.

Lily smiled at the two but heard the voice of their angry mother. She turned and saw a woman she knew vaguely as Molly Weasley. Fabien and Gideon Prewett, her brothers, were part of the Order and she quite liked them. She had met Molly a few times here or there and had been introduced by Fabien and Gideon to their fiery redheaded sister.

"Bill! Charlie!" she yelled, walking up to them and taking each by the ear. Behind her trotted a smaller boy, probably about three, holding the hands of two boys that appeared unsteady on their feet. She knew the two must have been the youngest, the twins that Fabien and Gideon spoke so highly of. "What have I told you about running off?"

The two boys looked down at the ground, uttering simple apologies. Lily watched as the younger eyed the broom while he directed his head to the ground.

Molly looked up and smiled. "Oh, Lily!" she said, still keeping her grip on the boys' ears. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm fine, Molly," she replied. She loved how Molly could be endearing and stern at the same time and wondered if she'd ever be able to be like that with Logan. "How are you?"

Molly shrugged, letting go of Bill and Charlie's ears. The two boys walked quickly to their brothers; Bill took one of the twins and Charlie helped with the other. "I'm alright," Molly told her, watching the boys. She turned back to Lily and smiled down at Logan. "Well, this must be the little one. He is absolutely adorable, Lily," she spoke. "Fabien was telling me how proud James is of this little guy."

"Thank you, Molly," Lily said. It didn't matter how many times someone commented on Logan, it always brought a smile to her face.

"If only they stayed this way forever," Molly mused, smiling down at Logan before turning back to her own children. One of the twins was attempting to escape on wobbly legs and Molly rolled her eyes. "Charlie, can you please hold on to George?"

Charlie grabbed onto the boy and George began to wail, which in turn made his twin wail. Molly sighed. "Well, it's never quiet for long," she stated, uttering a small goodbye before walking back to her children and calming down the twins. Lily wondered how she could tell the two apart, as they were completely identical.

She began walking toward the Leaky Cauldron where she would use the floo network to get home and work on the potion. The streets were lined with people and it was taking longer for her to make her way through the crowds than she anticipated. She finally reached the gateway.

"Ran right out didn't you?" came a sly voice behind her.

Lily turned and smiled at Michelle, who was leaning against the wall, her eyes carefully scanning the crowds while still focused on Lily. "Of course I did," Lily said. "Anything to help Remus."

"You should see him," Michelle responded, catching something out of the corner of her eye. "He's trying so hard to fight his excitement, but it's not working. You can still see it."

Following Michelle's line of vision, Lily caught sight of Sirius, leaning against Eeylops Owl Emporium, his hat hung low and his eyes barely above a copy of _the Daily Prophet_. To a passerby on a quiet day, he would have appeared suspicious, but with the crowds in Diagon Alley he was overlooked by the various groups. He winked to her before letting his eyes travel back toward the crowds.

"You two have Diagon Alley?" Lily asked.

Michelle nodded. "Yes, the two of us, Sturgis, and Caradoc have it today. We're looking for any activity. They've been relatively quiet for too long, or so Dumbledore says."

The 'they' meant Death Eaters. Lily merely nodded her head, knowing they couldn't say much more. Many of the Death Eaters the Order was looking for were members of Sirius's extended family, but others as well were high up on the list. And there were always the few that hadn't been seen as Death Eaters in public that could detonate at any time.

"I'll leave you be," Lily said. "I have a potion to make."

"Hopefully it's the answer the _Prophet_ said it'd be. James is with Mad-Eye and the Longbottoms, just in case you wanted to know," Michelle added, nodding to Lily and cooing over Logan before shifting back into the shadows and disappearing from sight.

Lily looked down to Logan and saw him yawn on his carrier. She stroked his tiny hand before walking through the brick wall into the Leaky Cauldron. While she situated Logan for the floo home, she felt her eyes circling the small room. Most of the people were older men, drinking from mugs and cheering in loud voices. Many of the people had grins spread from ear to ear, but there was one man in the back of the room that just stared at her, his face not breaking into emotion of any sort. His cool gray eyes had lost their tints of blue and looked up at her ominously blackened; his long, tidy hair looked more like Sirius's than it ever had before. He stood and walked to the counter, placing a few galleons on the counter for his still-full glass and leaving a card on the table, away from the money and near enough for her to read it. The only thing that it said was: _I see now, R.A.B._

Logan began to whimper, blinking his eyes furiously with tiredness and Lily quickly turned to him and away from the man walking out into the Muggle street. She stepped into the fireplace and felt herself moving toward her home. She stepped out and took Logan out of his carrier. She dropped her supplies and took the baby upstairs where he fell asleep before his head hit the mattress.

She walked down the stairs and took out her potions supplies, but didn't touch them. Her mind was wandering to what had just happened. What Regulus could see, she didn't know. She had never spoken to him formally and didn't understand the need for him to send her the note. Of all people she thought he would have gone to Sirius in Diagon Alley.

She cleared her mind, attempting to forget the event that was upsetting her by thinking of Remus. She took the supplies in her hands, looking at them for a brief moment before setting them down on the table. She didn't know whether she should try to make the potion with her mind as it was. Looking at the instructions, she knew she didn't want to try it when her mind wasn't fully focused and she walked into the living room, laid on the couch and looked up at the mantle above the fireplace.

The small framed picture had Lily and James smiling and waving into the camera with Logan, barely an hour old, in her arms. He was looking around at the room in wild bewilderment and excitement. Remus had actually taken the picture. Shaking her head, she stood and walked back into the kitchen. She needed to help him. She truly did. So, she set to work on the Wolfsbane Potion in hopes that she could succeed the first time. The full moon was a few weeks off at the beginning of August and if she could get it right, they could try it then.

When James returned home at the end of the day, there was a faint smoke filling the room and he looked around worriedly. But, Lily merely smiled and held out a vile to him, filled with a bubbling potion, with one hand while holding Logan in the other. Neither spoke, neither needed to. They both knew what was in the vial: hope.

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**So, what do you think? Logan is actually semi based on stories I heard about my one of my brothers when he was little – he never cried, and my parents were worried that he was so happy all the time. All the rest of us were awful.**

**I'm trying to make this as factually correct as possible - like with Belby and the names and I even consulted a map of Diagon Alley when writing this chapter to see what shops would be where. I hope you all liked it! It wasn't my favorite (I'm more into the action that comes later on), but I hope you liked it anyways.**

**So….review! I'm open to everything: suggestions, comments, criticism.**


	35. Part II: Ominous Propinquity

**I am sooooo sorry about the lack of updating. I take SATs on Saturday and my AP test in next week so I've been stressed out trying to juggle sports, school, and studying. Not to mention that my mother basically kicked me off the computer. The only thing I could do was read a few chapters over this week and the previous.**

**Thanks for understanding and I'm sorry for any grammatical mistakes, I was kind of rushing to get this up. I tried to get any.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Ominous Propinquity

Lily took a deep breath as she carefully passed Logan to Peter. It was her first day back working with the Order and James had persuaded her into letting Peter watch their son. She would have felt more comfortable with Remus watching the baby, even if the full moon was only a week away. But, Remus had declined and both Sirius and Michelle were working, so she was forced to let Peter watch the infant.

"Mummy and Daddy will be back, Logan, I promise," she whispered, kissing his forehead and looking into his blue eyes.

Logan looked from Lily to James with fear in his bright eyes. He had never been without one or both of his parents and Lily felt like she was betraying him. She felt James grab her hand, and she looked up at him. "He'll be fine," he said quietly.

"Yeah, Lily," Peter told her with a smile. "We'll have fun."

Logan didn't look convinced as he looked up at Peter with an expression that clearly stated, "No, we won't!" Lily shook her head, knowing she was imagining things because her son was only a few months old and not thinking like that.

"Lils, Frank and Alice are probably waiting for us," James spoke in her ear. His arm slid around her waist and then lightly ruffled the small tuft of black hair on Logan's head with his other hand. Reluctantly, Lily allowed herself to be dragged across the room and out the door by James. She hated the confused look on Logan's face; he was clearly wondering why she was leaving.

"Where are you two going anyway?" Peter asked casually.

James shrugged. "We've just got Alley duty," he said. "Nothing special."

Lily sat down in the car and watched out the window as Peter held on to the baby. She kept her eyes on the pair, even as the two were becoming smaller in the distance.

"Lily," James said as they began to drive away and she was craning her neck to get a last look at Peter holding Logan and waving his little hand as tears were flowing down the little boy's face. "I know Pete's not your first choice, but at least we're not leaving him with strangers."

She turned to look at him. He was a much better driver than she had imagined him to be and wondered for a brief moment if he had bewitched the car to drive itself. She shook her head. "It's not that," she muttered. "I just have this sinking feeling in my stomach."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged, keeping her eyes on the side of the road as they drove out of town. "I don't know. It's probably just my conscience telling me that leaving Logan is wrong," she stated. James pulled over and they stepped out of the car so he could shrink it and they could apparate to their destination. Once the car was secure in James's pocket, the two disappeared as two popping sounds filled the air.

When Lily opened her eyes she was in the apparation point in a building across the street from The Leaky Cauldron. The room was small and dark with a damp feeling that seemed to encase her. She walked to James and quickly latched her hand onto his. She had grown to like the different pace of life that accompanied motherhood. There was no imminent danger in fixing meals or singing lullabies.

The two walked out of the building and across the empty street. The Leaky Cauldron's sign swung in the breeze, threatening to fall on the heads of passersby. James opened the door and they walked into the crowded pub, quickly passing through and into Diagon Alley.

For a day in the middle of summer holidays, Diagon Alley was relatively quiet and Lily thought she could see more people she thought were in the Order than those who weren't. She could see the Prewett brothers walking down the street and she could barely make out the form of Marlene McKinnon sitting outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

James nudged her and she looked up at him. He was looking across the alleyway. From a distance, she could make out two figures arguing in front of Flourish and Blott's. One figure she recognized as Sirius, the other, she couldn't quite see. The figure was a woman, tall and slender with blond hair that reached her waist.

"What's Sirius doing talking to Narcissa?" James asked quietly as a few little boys ran passed them, laughing as they played tag in the street.

Lily looked back at the duo. She could barely make out Narcissa Malfoy's angular features and her scrunched up nose. James walked forward, pulling her with him toward the two feuding cousins. Lily tried to stop him, feeling like they shouldn't interrupt, but James was adamant that the two may kill each other if they didn't. Sirius and his cousins, especially Bellatrix and Narcissa, did not get along in the slightest.

"I just thought you should know," Narcissa hissed, her blue eyes glaring at Sirius through tiny slits. "I thought it would please you to know that you almost lost your position as the only Black brother to get blasted off by Aunt Wally."

"Well, thank you for the update, Cissy," he sneered her name, "but I couldn't care less about the lost cause of my dear brother Reggie."

Narcissa groaned. "You are despicable, Sirius!"

"Why?" Sirius shouted as she turned on her heel and stormed away. "If you recall correctly, _you _all kicked _me_ out! And now you want me to_ care_?"

Narcissa pushed passed Lily and James without a second glance and James rushed over to Sirius. "What was that all about?" he asked.

Sirius leaned against the building, running a hand through his thick black mane. He rolled his eyes. "Apparently, Regulus got scared and panicked. He tried to leave the Death Eaters and ended up getting himself killed."

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Lily said, remembering her own run-in with Regulus Black a few weeks before, the note _I see now_ suddenly made sense. She wondered if she should tell Sirius, but he wouldn't believe her, wouldn't believe that Regulus wasn't out to save his own skin.

"Ah, I say good riddance. Wish the lot of them would kick the bucket actually, either that or leave me alone," he muttered. "For hating my guts, I feel like Narcissa and Bellatrix are constantly on my back for something."

There was a whistle and the three looked up. Sturgis Podmore was walking down the street, waving to Sirius and motioning for him to follow. Sirius turned to his friends. "Well, have fun here," he joked. "Nothing ever happens."

"Where are you going?" James asked. "Fifth and Main?"

Sirius nodded. "You get taken off? You were supposed to go, right?"

Lily watched the cryptic exchange in confusion. She didn't know what was happening on Fifth and Main, James hadn't said anything about it. In fact, he hadn't told her much about the Order since Logan was born. Sirius left quickly, following Sturgis down the street at a distance. When he was out of hearing range, she turned to James.

"What's happening on Fifth and Main?" she asked quietly as they pretended to walk down the street like an oblivious couple to the war.

James turned to her with a look on his face Lily recognized well. It was the look he had when he didn't want to tell her something. "James," she urged.

"There's a planned attack. An inside source told us that Voldemort will be there," James told her in hushed tones. "We're trying to ambush them."

"And you were supposed to go?" Lily asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged. "It's dangerous. I didn't want you to worry, what with leaving Logan and wondering about the Wolfsbane, you already have a lot on your mind." He smiled. "Dung Fletcher really had this duty. We switched so I could do this with you, and he's taking my spot at Fifth and Main. I don't think Moody will be too happy, but..."

The two laughed and continued their walk. Duty at Diagon Alley was pointless for the most part. Of course, there was the risk that Voldemort would attack, but he never had and most of the older members of the Order believed that he didn't have the courage to do it.

Lily looked around the alley and saw it was rather quiet, even when compared to the less than crowded nature they had found it in when they arrived. The usually bustling street was strangely vacant with only a few souls in the entire area that appeared as if they were on their way out. It struck her as odd, but she had never been to Diagon Alley regularly and figured that, like Muggle stores, it had its lulls. Lily looked up at James to gauge his reaction to this and saw that he was just as confused as she was.

"Well, well, well," came a sly voice behind them. "James and Lily, we meet again!"

Lily turned around as her wand escaped her fingers, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She should have known something was odd when she noticed Diagon Alley nearly empty. She had only seen Lord Voldemort in person once, during her final Hogsmeade weekend at Hogwarts when Michelle had nearly died. He looked different now, only a year later. His hair, which had once been only slightly graying, was thin and wispy. His skin was translucent, but his eyes were still murky brown.

There was a woman behind him in the distance pushing a baby stroller. Lily wanted to open her mouth and yell out to her, but at the same time didn't want to give away her place to Voldemort, who would have no qualms killing both her and her baby. She could see Frank and Alice running down the alley and they were approaching the woman, telling her to leave. But the woman merely laughed a high-pitched cackle and transformed into Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Ah, Bella, don't leave Frank and Alice out of this," Voldemort laughed, twirling James's wand through his fingers and keeping Lily's in his other hand. "It can be a four-for-two special."

"When you don't show up at Fifth and Main, they'll come looking for you!" James yelled. Only Lily could notice his hands shaking, showing his age and inexperience. "They knew you were coming!"

Voldemort only laughed at James and withdrew his wand. Bellatrix now stood beside him, her curly black hair a mane around her head and her eyes crazy with delight. "I know, I planned it, James," Voldemort said calmly. James must have looked confused, because Voldemort continued to grin. "It's not hard to get a little information out to Dumbledore's precious Order and have all of you think it's true. Pity, too, that your cute little boy will have to be an orphan."

"What do you mean you planned it?" Frank demanded, his wand outstretched and pointed at the two dark foes.

Bellatrix turned on him and pointed her own wand at him. "Hush," she sneered.

Voldemort's grin spread from ear to ear. "Look, you Order members put yourselves on top of the world; you think you're so special. But, I infiltrated your system, I fooled you!" he said quietly. His voice grew volumes. "Then you two decided to ruin my plans!"

"Glad to be of service," James smirked.

Bellatrix didn't look pleased with James's sarcasm and lifted her wand from Frank to him. Acting on impulse, Frank turned his wand on Bellatrix and yelled an incantation. The witch was lifted from her position and flung against the brick wall. Voldemort turned and Lily felt James push her away from the group. There was a frustrated howl as Voldemort noticed the two running away and he immediately switched his focus to them. Alice muttered a simple spell under her breath and both Lily and James's wands flew into her hand.

Voldemort decided he needed to pick one battle and chose the wand-less Lily and James. He began to fly through the air, something Lily had never seen happen before, while waving his wand at them. A flash of green light hit the building behind her and the two were covered by bricks. But, Lily found herself physically unharmed. They had a shielding charm placed upon them, most likely by Alice. James pushed the bricks off of them and they peaked through the pile. Frank and Alice were fighting Voldemort skillfully, but Bellatrix was beginning to regain consciousness and the two-against-one advantage would soon end.

That's when Lily noticed it. Alice had artfully dropped their wands on the ground out of view and had pushed Voldemort back in their duel. Lily nudged James and pointed to the sticks on the ground. If they could get out of the brick pile and to their wands before anyone noticed, they could help without drawing any attention.

James carefully pushed the bricks so they wouldn't make any noise. When there was a hole in the pile, Lily slid through and ran to the wands, tossing one back to James. Just as Bellatrix came to, Lily and James had rejoined the battle.

Curses were flying in various directions, one swiftly flying passed Lily's ear, when she heard faint popping noises. She didn't want to turn as she and James were already in full combat with Voldemort, but felt a small smile creep onto her face when she heard the unmistakably gruff voice of Alastor Moody. Voldemort didn't seem to mind the added company until Dumbledore approached, then the powerful dark wizard retreated backwards, like a dog with its tail behind its legs.

"I'll get you!" Bellatrix screeched at the Longbottoms before disapparating after her master. "I'll get you for what you did!"

Lily looked around. Aside from a few cuts and bruises, all four were fine. Moody and Dumbledore were walking toward her and James. Moody looked ready to explode, his normal eye filled with emotion.

"I told you!" he roared, pointing his finger at James. "I specifically assigned you to Fifth and Main because we needed you there, and what do you do? Do you follow directions? No! You go around my back like the child you are and sent me Fletcher to suit your own needs!"

James opened his mouth to complain, but Moody wasn't finished. "What if we had needed you? What if one of us died because we didn't have your skills like I had planned for? I told you that you would never change." He took a breath. "Your father would be rolling around in his grave at this moment if he could see what you did!"

"But Voldemort was here," James cut in.

"I don't care!" Moody shouted. "You knew we had set a trap for Voldemort at Fifth and Main and you sent Mundungus Fletcher – of all people, Mundungus Fletcher! – as your replacement! Honestly, that's like leaving that son of yours in the hands of a Death Eater!"

"I wouldn't go quite that far, Alastor," Dumbledore said softly, entering the group. "Mundungus Fletcher is hardly a Death Eater. He's actually very loyal."

Moody growled. "He's a con-artist," he muttered. "And I was just using it to make a point that might go through Potter's thick skull!"

"Now, Alastor, I believe that's enough," Dumbledore said, smiling at the man before turning to James and Lily with a much different expression. Their old headmaster was frowning and Lily thought for sure he was disappointed in them as well.

"I'd like to speak with the two of you as soon as possible," he said in a hurried tone. "Tomorrow, after you're both settled down from today's events. We have some important matters to discuss."

James looked up worriedly. "What matters?"

Dumbledore just smiled and said, "You can just floo directly to my office, or if not, I do quite enjoy lemon drops."

Lily turned to James as Dumbledore walked away. She had had enough for the day and just wanted to go back to Logan as she had promised him. "Can we go home?" she asked.

He smiled. "Sure," he said, resting his arm on her shoulders. The two walked away from the crowd of people and disapparated into the woods were they could enlarge their car. The street was quiet with a few Muggle children playing in their yards. They pulled into their driveway and walked up to the house, but as James made to grab the door handle, the front door flew open and a very distressed looking Sirius Black stood before them.

"How the hell did the two of you manage to get yourselves onto Voldemort's Most Wanted?" he demanded.

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**So, just a heads up: keep an eye on Peter. You can see, even in the beginning of this chapter, that he's turning in to the little weasel we all know and hate.**

**Any one catch the ironic line by Moody?**

**What did you think?**

**Review!**


	36. Part II: Double Agent

**Again, as I have for the past few chapters, I would like to apologize for the lack of updating. I am truly sorry. But, my testing is over and that leaves more time for updating! Yeah!**

**So, without further ado, this is the next chapter. It's a little short, but I think you'll like it all the same.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Double Agent

James pushed Sirius in the house and Lily shut the door behind them. Sirius didn't push back and merely walked backwards with James into the living room. James was muttering quietly to him, telling him to keep his voice down so they neighbors wouldn't hear and think they were part of a "Muggle mafia or whatever it's called."

When the three arrived in the living room, Lily saw that Michelle and Remus were there as well. Peter was nowhere to be seen. Michelle jumped up from her seat and swiftly walked to Lily, Logan nestled carefully in her arms. The baby was sleeping and Michelle held him out to his mother who took him in her arms. Lily felt her entire body relax when she held Logan's little body in her arms, remembering the danger she and James had just been in.

"Peter said he wouldn't stop crying," Michelle said to her. "He fell asleep almost immediately after Peter left."

"Where did Peter go?" Lily asked questioningly.

Michelle shrugged. "He didn't say, just that he needed to be somewhere. Probably Order related. He was really fidgety though; it was weird, even for him."

Lily nodded and started to gently rock Logan in her arms. She thought it was rather odd that Logan had cried the entire time Peter had been watching him. The little boy was a very happy child and never cried, which made her suspicious. But, she didn't know what she could be suspicious of Peter Pettigrew for, except maybe boring the baby and not knowing what games to play.

"I don't care if you're alright!" Sirius yelled at James, clearly distressed by the situation. "Do you want to know how scared we all were?"

The loud voices woke up Logan, who noticed he was in his mother's arms and gave a smile. Lily smiled down at him and let him grab onto her finger before turning back to James, Sirius, and Remus.

James walked up to Sirius and placed his hands on his best friend's shoulders. "Sirius, there's nothing to worry about! Honestly, we couldn't have been more careful. Voldemort had it all planned out anyway–"

"What?" Sirius asked quietly. He shook his head. "No, he didn't."

Lily nodded, walking to James's side to back him up. "Yes, he did," she said. "He told us."

Sirius and Remus shared a quick look before turning back to Lily and James. She felt her heart drop at the expressions on their faces. Solemn, grave, betrayed. "What?" she asked, fearing what the answer would be.

Remus shook his head. "All the Death Eaters showed up at Fifth and Main. They didn't know where Voldemort was and they were looking for you two," he told them quietly. "They scattered before we had the chance to round them up, but they were freaking out because Voldemort wasn't there like he said he was going to be."

"That's why we were so happy to see you," Michelle said, walking toward the group. "We thought you were dead."

The room fell into a deep silence. Lily didn't know what to think and she merely looked down at Logan. He was smiling and gurgling happily, playing with her finger without a care in the world. If she and James were to die, he would be an orphan. Sure, a wonderfully cared for orphan because he'd be raised by the remaining Marauders, but he'd never know his parents. She didn't want that to happen to him.

The voices began to talk once more, bringing Lily out of her thoughts and back into the conversation.

"…Well, it sounds like he changed plans quickly," Remus was saying. "He didn't tell his Death Eaters, so maybe he didn't have time."

"Or maybe, he wanted it to be just him," Sirius said gravely. "He wanted to be alone when he killed James and Lily so he knew it was him that killed them."

James threw his hands in the air. "Wait!" he exclaimed. "This doesn't make any sense. How did Voldemort find out where we were? Everyone thought Lily was in Diagon Alley and I was at Fifth and Main. The only people who knew I was in the Alley too were Sirius, Dung–"

"And Sturgis Podmore," Sirius interjected. "He saw you when he called me over."

"Sturgis Podmore's not a spy," James hissed. "That's ridiculous."

Sirius shrugged. "It could be Dung Fletcher."

Remus shook his head and rubbed his chin with his hand. "I don't think so," he added. "Dumbledore thinks highly of him. I don't think he'd go that way."

A small gruff noise escaped Sirius's throat. "Maybe it's me," he suggested seriously, throwing his arms out as if it were some type of revelation. "Maybe I'm under the Imperius Curse!"

"Bite your tongue, Sirius," James said, sitting down in a chair and running his hands through his unruly locks. "It's not you. Remus and I would know if you were under the Imperius Curse."

"No you wouldn't–"

"The two of you, please!" Remus shouted. "Do I really have to play mediator like I did at Hogwarts?"

Silence filled the room and each of the occupants looked at the ground. They were all deep in thought, wondering how the world had gotten so cold in the years they had been out of Hogwarts. Michelle was the first to look up. "Do you really think there's a spy?" she asked quietly, almost as if she couldn't believe she was asking the question.

Sirius walked to her side, wrapping his arms around her, but no one answered the question. No one had to; the answer was already known. There had to be a spy, there was too much evidence for there not to be one. Now, the only thing they needed to find out was who the spy was.

"We don't speak of this to anyone. Not even Dumbledore," James whispered. "Just us here and Peter, the rest of the Order can't know or the spy will find out and that can't happen."

"So, we've got to keep a lookout," Remus added, nodding his head. "We have to see who looks suspicious."

They all nodded and the conversation was ended. Lily looked down at Logan and felt ashamed for bringing him into a world filled with hate and betrayal. His wide blue eyes looked up at her with innocent unknowing. His little lips spread in a smile as his mother kept her eyes on him. He squealed happily and reached his tiny hands in the air toward her.

She stroked the side of his face and he giggled. Feeling James hovering over her shoulder, she looked up to see that Sirius, Michelle, and Remus were gone. James rested his head on her shoulder and let Logan grab onto his finger.

"What are you thinking about?" James asked quietly, turning his attention from his son to Lily.

She shrugged. "What if we die?" she asked just as quietly as James had asked his question.

He shook his head, nuzzling his head into her neck, whispering to her in words she could barely hear. "We won't," he told her. A smile spread across his face. "We've escaped Voldemort's grasps two times and if he can't kill us, I don't think anyone can."

"James, stop joking around," she said. "This is serious."

"I know," he replied, sighing and closing his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Lily was about to respond when Logan made a disgruntled noise. The two parents looked down at him and grinned at the dissatisfied expression on his face, showing that he was clearly bothered by the lack of attention his parents were giving him. James laughed and scooped the baby out of Lily's arms.

"You're jealous that I'm stealing all of Mummy's attention, aren't you?" James cooed, leaning his face toward Logan's so they were centimeters apart. "Well, I was here first, so technically she's mine."

Lily rolled her eyes, but it quickly turned into a laugh when Logan blew a bubble that popped in James's face. She could hear Logan's cheerful cry from across the room and James merely looked up with a smile. "I think we're raising a lady's man, Lils," he chuckled.

"Just like his daddy?" Lily asked cheekily.

James turned his attention back to the baby. "You can be whoever you want to be," he whispered. "As long as you play quidditch – you have to play quidditch."

Lily laughed and left the two boys in the living room as she walked to the kitchen. She wondered what Dumbledore had to speak to her and James about. Did he already know there was a spy? She didn't doubt it as their old headmaster seemed to know everything that went on not only in his school but in the world as well. But what if it was something more serious that involved them –

"Lily, stop worrying."

She turned and saw James in the doorway. In his hand he held a golden snitch which Logan was frantically reaching his hands out toward. The soft feathers fluttered by his face, sweeping against his skin. James let go and the snitch flew around his head, making Logan giggle happily.

"I'm not worrying," she said, taking a bottle out of the cupboard. Then, defeated, she added, "I'm just scared."

James grabbed the snitch and the wings closed around the tiny golden ball. He put Logan into his high chair and passed him the ball to play with. Immediately, Logan let it go and it flew away but returned, as if knowing it was playing with a baby and not an experienced player. James walked to Lily and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We're all scared," he told her, taking a deep breath. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not scared for myself, I'm scared for Logan," she told him, looking up at him as her eyes began to moisten. "He's going to have to grow up with all of this, and if we die he'll be an orphan."

"He'll never be an orphan," James told her, his eyes declaring his determined personality. "He'll always have you because I'll die before I let Voldemort or any of his minions touch a hair on either of your heads."

Lily closed her eyes. "Hopefully it will never come to that. I don't know what I'd do without you."

A loud squeal hit their ears and they turned. A large black owl was tapping on the window near Logan's high chair and the little boy had abandoned the snitch to try and grab the bird. Lily looked to James, as she recognized it as his owl Nyx. He opened the window and the owl flew in, lifting her leg to James for him to take the letter attached to her leg.

"What is it?" Lily asked as Nyx obediently flew to her cage.

James read through the note and shook his head. "I wrote a letter to your mother because I thought she might want to know at least a little about her grandson," he muttered, tossing the letter on the table. "But, apparently your sister's brainwashed her even further to the point where she wants absolutely nothing to do with me, which would include my son. However, she'd love for you to come back home," he added. "It's in the P.S."

Lily took the letter and her hands, skimming it. The last time she spoke to her mother had been when she found out she was pregnant with Logan. She let her eyes fall over the words. If her mother had been a witch, the letter would have been a howler. In the letter her mother basically declared her hate for James Potter because he took her daughter away and rushed her into everything like motherhood and marriage, especially during a time of war. Lily rolled her eyes; her mother never did understand that marriage and childbearing happened earlier in the wizarding world, even if James and Lily were young for the wizarding world as well.

She nearly began to laugh at the P.S. her mother had enclosed. _P.S. If Lily would like to come home and be safe from _your_ world, tell her that Petunia and I would graciously accept her. We'll forgive her for her lack of judgment._

"Well," Lily said after she read it. "My mother always had a way with words."

"I'm sorry," James said.

Lily shrugged and walked to Logan's high chair. "It's her loss," she muttered, lifting the little boy into her arms. "Who wouldn't want to meet this cutie?" she cooed, tickling Logan's stomach and making him giggle.

"Someone out of their mind," James affirmed, walking over to make the family of three complete.

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**Yeah, it's just a little filler, but I wanted to add in some Potter family moments because we haven't had many of those.**

**So, what do you think?**

**Review!**


	37. Part II: War Exigency

**Okay, I'm not going to give any excuses except my life has been utterly and obnoxiously stressful for the past few weeks, which is why there have been no updates. **

**So, as I know you all don't want to hear about my life, without further ado, I finally present the next chapter!**

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Part II: War Exigency

Lily held Logan in her lap as he quickly turned his head from side to side. She could tell he was enthralled by the various objects filling, and falling out of, the shelves in Albus Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. His big blue eyes would look at the books and then the assorted instruments and cauldrons. But, it was when his eyes landed on Fawkes the phoenix, that Logan stopped squirming and just starred.

Dumbledore smiled at Logan, his eyes twinkling in a way that Lily remembered from Hogwarts. "He's growing quickly," he said in a far off voice, as if it was merely an introduction. "You two should be very proud. I wouldn't be surprised if he started to show signs of magic soon, even at such a young age."

"Oh, goody," James joked, turning to his son and gently running a hand over his short black locks. "Hopefully he won't turn my hair blue like I did to my father."

"Albus," Lily said. "I'm sure you didn't ask us here to talk about our son."

Their old headmaster nodded and ran a hand through his gray beard. Peering through his half-moon glasses, his expression became very grave. "Unfortunately, little Logan is not the main topic of our conversation," he said, placing his hands on his desk. "I am sure that you both have your suspicions as to how Voldemort learned of your locations and, James, your sudden switch – I have mine as well."

Lily felt James tense beside her and she turned to him. They had decided not to talk to Dumbledore about their ideas.

"That must wait for another day," Dumbledore added in the silence. "I have something more unfortunate to share with you."

"What could possibly be worse?" James asked in disbelief.

Dumbledore looked at his hands and then back to Lily and James. She was shocked to see a defeated look appear in his eye for a brief moment, before he hid it with his regular demeanor. She turned to James, but found he hadn't caught this, and then looked back to Dumbledore.

The old man breathed for a few moments, letting the pause add emphasis. "I have reason to believe we are fighting a battle there is no way we can win."

The room was met with a somber silence as James and Lily shared a look. Lily hugged Logan closer to herself and closed her eyes momentarily, before looking up at her old headmaster with a look of confusion. "Are you saying that we should give up?" she asked, not knowing why Dumbledore would think such a thing.

"On the contrary, no," he responded. He leaned across his desk. "Have either of you heard of horcruxes?"

Lily turned to James and could see that he had just as little knowledge of what Dumbledore was talking about as she did. She thought about her schooling, but could not remember her teachers ever teaching about something called a horcrux. Looking up at her old headmaster, she shook her head.

"I didn't think you would," he told them. "Only two professors at this school know about them, myself and Professor Slughorn. They were banned from being taught at Hogwarts years ago. You see, a horcrux is dark magic, very dark magic. It is where a wizard can hide his soul and retain immortality."

"And you think that Voldemort has made one of these…horcruxes?" James asked.

Dumbledore nodded, but spoke again. "My suspicions are that he's made more than one."

"How is he making them?" Lily found herself asking. She had never heard of horcruxes and they seemed to be the key to Voldemort's success. It was the reason why the Order would never defeat him.

Dumbledore leaned back into his chair. "In order to implant his soul into a horcrux, the caster must effectively split it, as I'm sure you two understand."

"He has to kill someone," James answered. "But, by now he could have an infinite number of horcruxes; he's killed so many people."

"Exactly, my boy, why I believe we must start now to destroy them," Dumbledore spoke gravelly. "My theories are that he has hidden some at Hogwarts, which I have begun looking for myself, but others are hidden throughout Britain. This is why I would like your help."

Lily nodded. "What can we do?"

Logan squirmed in her arms and she momentarily looked down at him. She gently stroked the tuft of black hair on his head and he calmed. Dumbledore was looking at James as he agreed with Lily that they would do whatever was needed to support the cause of destroying Voldemort.

"As you both are strong members in the Order, I will not ask for your assistance in finding them. Instead, I would like to ask if I may borrow your invisibility cloak when I go looking for them," he said softly.

Lily turned to James, as it was his cloak and therefore his decision, and found he was already nodding his head. "Of course, I'll bring it over straight away," James told the older wizard. "It hasn't be used since the end of my seventh year. It will be good for it to be useful once again."

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes had brightened. "Thank you, James," he said respectfully. "I am honored that you would trust to leave such an object in my possession."

"I would trust my own son in your possession," James told him without missing a beat.

"You will," Dumbledore smiled, looking at Logan. "But not for another ten years. That is if the ministry, or rather Lucius Malfoy, doesn't find a way to execute my departure before Logan starts his first year."

Logan giggled softly and toothlessly grinned. "That won't happen," Lily said, after the giggles subsided. "There are many more that would want you here than the minority that wants you gone."

Dumbledore bowed his head humbly. "Why thank you, Lily."

James stood from his seat and held his hand out for Dumbledore to shake. "I'll bring the cloak in the morning."

While shaking James's hand, Dumbledore raised his other hand to shake off his statement. "Oh, no need," he said. "You bring it when it is a convenient time for you. You don't need to rush it over, it is yours after all."

"I want my son to grow up in a world without Voldemort, and I will do anything to accomplish this," James insisted. "I want you to have the cloak so when you need it, it will already be with you."

"I suppose you are right," the older wizard consented, running his hand through his silver beard. "I just hope it doesn't end up being a mistake and when you need it, you don't have it."

James smiled. "It's not like you're taking our wands, Albus. A cloak won't save us."

Dumbledore nodded his head, a flicker of a smile on his face, but the gravity of the situation was apparent in his eyes. Lily could see the ounce of fear hiding behind the half-moon spectacles, the emotion Albus Dumbledore hid from the world so well.

"Thank you both. I would just like to ask you not to tell anyone about this," he said as they approached the fireplace. Both Lily and James nodded in agreement. Especially with a spy in their midst, they couldn't speak of horcruxes to anyone in the chance that Voldemort would find out they knew of his secret immortality. "I will see you two soon."

Lily nodded with a smile and James said, "Very soon," as they walked into the fireplace. Lily went first with Logan. She stepped out into their living room and felt her eyes widen when she noticed someone on the floor. Her heart started to beat quickly and she grabbed for her wand until she noticed who the person was. James walked out and had a similar reaction, except when he realized who it was, he walked toward him and shook his head.

"Sirius, why are you on my floor?" he asked curiously.

Sirius opened his eyes and smiled. "You have a very comfortable floor, Prongsie." His words were slightly slurred and his eyes were wandering the room.

James turned back and Lily could see he was concerned for his friend's wellbeing. He turned back. "You haven't called me Prongs since Hogwarts."

Blinking once, Sirius groaned. "Can't your best mate use an old nickname every once and a while?"

"You're drunk," James sighed, kneeling down beside Sirius. "What happened?"

Sirius glared at him, but Lily could tell he didn't mean it. "First off, Jamesie, I'm not drunk. Tipsy, maybe, but I'm not drunk."

"Okay, fine, but what happened?" James asked.

"Well, it was my day off from the Order so I thought I'd spend a day by myself seems as you were off with Dumbledore and the others were off doing their duties," he explained, still lying on the floor. "So, I found myself wandering in Diagon Alley, but then I got bored and went into Hogsmeade."

James nodded. "You ran into Madame Rosemerta, didn't you?"

"No," Sirius said. "Not until after. Guess what I did when I went into Hogsmeade."

Without giving James a chance to speak, Sirius lifted his arm. He held a small box in his long fingers, not having to open it for James and Lily to know what was inside. Lily's eyes widened, knowing exactly what would be inside the square, velvet box. James gently took it in his hands and opened it. A diamond engagement ring sparkled in the light.

"It's a beautiful ring, Siri," he said. "I don't see what your problem is."

Sirius's hand felt to the floor with a resounding smack. Logan looked up at Lily in confusion, wondering what his godfather was doing. Lily gently ran a hand through his hair while listening to Sirius's confession across the room.

"My problem is everything, James!" Sirius exclaimed, sitting up. "I'm been thinking about this for a while and it's…I can't lose her, I know that. I won't be able to handle it if what happened at Hogwarts happens, but then, it's a war. I feel selfish because I put myself in dangerous situations every day and I could die or worse, what if I revert back to my name?"

James placed his hands on Sirius's shoulders. "You won't," he insisted forcefully. "I know you won't; you aren't like that!"

"I know _you_ know," Sirius cried out, emotion filling his voice. "But the rest of the world, all they see is my name! To them, I'm a pureblood Black, and I'll always be a pureblooded, muggle-hating _Black_," he spat. "For Merlin's sake, even McGonagall thought it at Hogwarts after the attack, do you remember?" James nodded, but Sirius continued anyway. "She, McGonagall of all people, insinuated that it was my fault – _my_ fault – that Michelle was almost dead, like I had something to do with it!"

"Sirius," James said. "People have stupid prejudices–"

"Exactly!" Sirius stood up and threw his arms in the air. "If we get married, she'll take my name. She won't keep her own. I don't want to put her through all of that. I mean, the prejudices are right anyways. I just heard that my father died, probably of disappointment and shame because of Regulus's panicked leaving from the Death Eaters!"

He turned his back on James and his eyes landed on Lily and Logan. "You get married and you have kids," he whispered quietly. "My kids would be Blacks. They'd get taunted of by their classmates. My first days in Gryffindor were the worst days of my life. Everyone hated me except you, Remus, and Peter. Kids are ruthless and even Regulus, when he got to Hogwarts himself, was taunted in Slytherin because of me."

He wiped his face with his hands as a few tears had escaped his eyes. "I wouldn't wish being a Black on to anyone, but I can't lose her," he said, leaning against the wall. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"She doesn't care, Sirius," Lily said softly from her position with Logan. "She wouldn't care about all of that; all she cares about is you."

"I know," he nodded. "But I care because I know what will happen. I've been through it. I've had the name. I honestly don't know what to do."

James stood beside Sirius and stared at him in the eye for a few minutes. The room was silent. "Do you love her?" he asked.

Sirius looked up as if he thought his best friend was insane. "Of course! With all my heart," he said.

There was a momentary pause before James shrugged. "Then, I think you have your answer."

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**So, I hope that was worth the wait. I'll try to get another chapter up by or before next weekend because I've made you all wait forever for these last two.**

**Review! (I can honestly say reviews motivate me!)**


	38. Part II: Anxiously Waiting

**So, here's the next chapter. I hope you all like it. I was, I'll admit, a little disappointed by the lack of reviews for the last chapter. Hopefully you'll all find time to drop a comment about what you like, dislike, your theories, or just to shoot the breeze.**

**Shout out to the four reviewers: ****Love-Pink26, FairyVampire, 8racecar47, and sums96.**

**Here it is!**

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Part II: Anxiously Waiting

In the week after the attack in Diagon Alley, Lily and James didn't go on missions together. Instead, one would stay at home with Logan while the other focused on the Order. Aside from the fact that Lily felt as if she never saw James any longer, July came to a close without much trouble for the Potters.

On August fifth, James and Sirius insisted on celebrating Logan's two month birthday and James took the baby boy on his first ride on a broomstick. Of course, James was holding on to him as tightly as possible and didn't go extremely high, but nonetheless, Lily felt her heart stop the entire time they were in the air and didn't let anyone else - including James - hold Logan the rest of the day.

But, as the date of the next full moon approached, Lily found herself becoming extremely anxious. Each day she would remove the vials of Wolfsbane Potion from the cupboard to inspect them, as if anything would have happened. She wanted it to work. She wanted to help Remus.

"Lily," James said softly as she removed it from the cupboard the day of the full moon. "There's nothing you can do now. It will either work or not."

"I know," Lily replied, walking away from the cupboard slowly and sitting at the table beside James. He was holding onto Logan and letting him stand on the floor on his unsteady legs that would give way if his father let go. Lily was often astonished by Logan's development, but as she had been told, magical children developed sooner than their Muggle counterparts. In fact, Logan had already begun to teeth and was now constantly found with something in his mouth. "I just want it to work so badly. Remus deserves this!"

James smiled at her. "I know," he told her. "But, as I said, there is nothing more you can do but wait."

"I suppose you're right," she muttered quietly, leaning onto the table.

She focused her attention onto James and Logan, watching her son bending his knees and bouncing on the ground. He would giggle happily, squealing in delight at the new coordination of his limbs. "What time are you going over?" Lily asked James.

He shrugged. "After we put Logan down; the moon won't be out for a while, but I want to make sure he gets a chance to drink the last vial before it comes out."

Lily nodded, but her mind was still on the potion. This was her chance to help a man who had been there for both her and James and had suffered so much during his life, suffered more than he deserved. Throughout the week, Remus had been drinking the potion one a day as prescribed in the recipe. They had done everything by the books. It should work, Lily thought.

Lily went to stand once more, but James reached out. He now held Logan in his lap and held her arm with one of his hands. "Lily, you're worrying too much," he urged.

"I know," she said, shaking her head. "I'm anxious."

A happy giggle filled the room and James sat Logan on the table so he could make eye contact with the little boy. "Yes, Mummy's crazy, isn't she?" he cooed softly. "Yes she is."

"James!" Lily exclaimed, gently shoving his arm. "You're trying to turn my own son against me!"

"He's just agreeing with me that you are worrying far too much about this," James told her teasingly. "It will either work or it won't, and even if it doesn't Remus knows that you worked extremely hard on this. Trust me; he knows how much you want this to work. We all do."

Lily sat back down and rested her head in her hands. She didn't know how she would make it through the night not knowing whether it worked or not. She wouldn't know until morning when James returned with the news. Feeling a tiny finger poking her head, she looked up. Logan was looking at her clearly concerned, if a baby could that is. She smiled at him to show that she wasn't upset and he smiled back, immediately placing his fingers into his mouth.

James reached forward and took the boy's hand away from his face. "Logan, please, don't eat your fingers," he begged. "I know it hurts, but you won't be able to play quidditch if you have no fingers."

"What if he doesn't want to play quidditch?" Lily asked with a smile. She knew any son of James's would love quidditch.

James sighed. "Well, you can't read books without fingers to hold them up either," he told the little boy, taking him into his arms and tickling him. Logan squealed, content in his father's arms. When James stopped, Logan yawned, allowing his parents to see the tiny tooth occupying his mouth. James and Lily shared a look. "I think it's time for bed," said James.

"I believe you're right," Lily agreed, seeing Logan's eyelids drooping over his vivid blue orbs.

Together, the two walked up the stairs and into the first bedroom to the right. The walls were yellowy-gold, a way for James to get Gryffindor into the room even though he couldn't paint the walls red. There was a small bookshelf filled with books that Logan was already beginning to show interest in, and stuffed animals were scattered around the room. Over the crib was a tiny mobile with a quidditch theme: the chasers passed the ball back and forth with the beaters trying to clobber them with bludgers.

James gently placed Logan in the crib. He had already fallen asleep in his father's arms and he continued in his peaceful slumber after he was laid on the bedding.

"James!" Sirius's voice called from below. "Where are you?"

Running a hand over Logan's head, James shook his head at Sirius's voice. "He's probably eating our food," James muttered jokingly, "mangy mutt."

The two walked down the stairs to find Sirius sitting at the table, an apple off the counter in his hand and his face stuck in the _Daily Prophet_. He heard them walking and looked up with a smile. "I figured that's where you were," he said, looking back into the newspaper.

"Made yourself right at home, didn't you?" James asked, trying to sound angry, but his laughter gave him away.

Sirius shrugged. "I thought that you wouldn't mind," he said cheekily. "You ready to go?"

James nodded before walking over to the counter and taking the final vial from the cupboard. Inside the glass was a bubbling blue potion that was smoking faintly. "Tonight we'll know," he said softly.

"Oh, I know! I'd feel awful if Remy had to drink that awful tasting potion for days and have it not work," Sirius added tactlessly, unaware of James's glares.

James rolled his eyes and walked over to Lily and brought her into his arms. "It'll work, Lils. I know it will," he whispered into her ear.

Lily nodded and felt him break away to stand beside Sirius, who was now holding a set of keys in his limber fingers. "Be careful," Lily told them sternly. "Both of you."

Sirius winked at her. "Of course, Lily darling," he drawled before turning to James. "You're neighbors down the street were giving me odd looks. Do you think it's because of the motorbike?"

"I think it's more the fact that you're on that motorbike this late and it's the loudest bloody thing I've ever heard," James said seriously.

"Muggles," he muttered under his voice, shaking his head at the same time. "Maybe I'll have to put a charm on it or something. Whatever, Remus is probably getting anxious. Let's go!"

Sirius walked out of the kitchen, leaving Lily and James to themselves. James took her hand in his. "I'll be safe, I promise," he said as she walked toward him. She gently traced the scars on his face, the permanent reminder of the fiasco at Hogwarts. "It'll work."

"Hopefully," she said softly. "Now, go on, before Sirius annoys the neighbors with that thing."

He hugged her and kissed her forehead before jogging out of the house. He jumped onto the back of Sirius's motorcycle and the two sped off down the street. Lily stood in the doorway for a few moments after they left. The sun hadn't quite set yet, but the sky was dark and everyone was indoors. She shut the door and entered the silent home. She sat down in the living room and shut her eyes, hoping that the potion would work.

When her eyes opened, the fireplace had turned green and she reached for her wand even though she had a feeling she knew who the person coming out of it would be. Michelle usually came over during the full moon so they could keep each other company while James and Sirius were helping Remus. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Michelle stepped out of the fireplace and Lily placed her wand on the table. You could never be too careful.

Michelle stood by the fireplace with a smile that spread from ear to ear. Lily looked up at her in confusion, wondering why she hadn't sat down. "Are you going to stand all night?" Lily asked.

"Do you notice anything different, Lily?" she asked, twirling around in a circle. Lily looked closely. Her blonde hair was the same as it had been the last time she'd seen her friend. Her brown eyes, although lit up in a sort of excitement, were definitely the eyes she'd grown accustomed to over the years. She hadn't gained any weight or grown any taller; she still had the same athletic build. She was still the same Michelle.

Seeing that Lily wasn't going to understand, Michelle absently looked down at her hand. As soon as she did it, Lily's eyes widened. "Sirius asked you?" she asked, even though it came out as more of a statement than a question.

Michelle nodded while biting down on her bottom lip and moving to sit beside Lily on the couch. "I know, isn't it weird. We're both going to be married."

"Have you two set a date yet, or is it too soon?" Lily asked.

"Not a specific date, but it's going to be soon. As soon as possible, really – we were going to elope, but we want you, James, Remus, and Peter to be there," she said quickly. "You know, with the war as it is now, you can't wait for things like this. We've decided that we don't need a big ceremony anyways, just friends."

Lily smiled. "Are you excited?"

Michelle looked to her as if she was insane. Then she shook her head. "I screamed for a good thirty minutes after he left. That's why I was a little late coming here. I just can't believe it." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to be Mrs. Sirius Black."

"A lot of women are going to hate you," Lily said with a smile.

"They already do," Michelle smirked. Then, her smile faded slightly. "I started to think about Ivy. Do you think she's okay?"

"She must be," Lily stated. "She's in the Muggle world, there's no war there like there is here."

Michelle nodded and placed her hands in her lap. "I suppose you're right," she said softly. "I just wish her parents didn't force her back there. I miss her, you know?"

"I miss her, too," Lily agreed, leaning back into the couch. "And Cecily."

She turned to see Michelle's expression and was not surprised by what she saw. Michelle had furrowed her brow and was looking at Lily skeptically. She cocked her head to the side like a dog but ultimately shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose I miss the old Cecily as well."

Lily had kept her promise to Cecily that she would never tell her story. Even though her friend was in Bulgaria and far away from them, she didn't want to break the trust that her friend had given her. As he mind wandered, she felt a smile spread on her lips. "Does this mean Logan will have a playmate?" she asked.

Michelle's eyes widened and she hit Lily playfully on the arm. "Excuse me, but we're not even married yet. Why don't you give Logan his own playmate, hmm?"

The two began to laugh and time started to pass quickly, as it always seemed to when friends were having fun. Times such as these brought Lily back to her Hogwarts years when she would hang out with her friends, doing nothing but talk. It made her forget about her responsibilities, her fears, and the Wolfsbane Potion, even if it was only for a moment.

When the sun poked its rays over the hills, the two were still talking and catching up. They were giggling over comments made about the upcoming wedding, and the Marauders. The last time she was able to talk so candidly with Michelle was the last full moon and it was nice to have some time with her friend. But, as the sunlight filled the home, Logan awoke from his slumber.

"If he's waking up, that means James must be on his way," Michelle said.

"I doubt Logan has that ability," Lily replied when they walked up the stairs. They entered the room to find the little boy in his bed with a smile on his face. He reached his arms up for his mother.

Outside, the distinct sound of a motorcycle rolling up the street could be heard. Michelle walked to the window in time to see Sirius drop James off and glide down the street to the apparation point. "I'd better be going," she said. "Sirius will be worried sick if I'm not there when he gets home."

With a crack she was gone from sight and Logan was staring at the floor where she had been. Lily grinned at him and held him close. "You'll be able to do that when you're older," she told him. "Now, let's go see Daddy."

At the mention of James, Logan's smile grew and she brought him down the stairs just as James was about to walk up them. They met at the bottom and Lily looked up at him. "So?" she asked.

"You had nothing to worry about," James responded. "Everything went fine. We didn't even have to stay animals for the whole night."

He brought her into his arms and patted Logan's head. "You did it, Lils."

"No," she said. "We all did it, with the help of Damocles."

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**So, what do you think? (Remember, Damocles Belby is the man who found Wolfsbane Potion to help werewolves.)**

**Review! **


	39. Part II: Hortatory Warning

**I can honestly say that I think this is one of my shortest chapters, but it is jam-packed with information. So, I think it works.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Hortatory Warning

Lily had to admit, Sirius Black was every talented at planning things. Perhaps it went back to his Hogwarts days when he was one of the ringleaders of the infamous Marauders, or maybe when he was forced to escape his horrible family. Whatever the reason, he knew what to do, just how long to wait, and exactly what needed to be said to get something done.

This was how Lily found herself, a little over a week later, at the wedding of Sirius Black and Michelle D'Aubigne.

It was a small wedding, especially seems as neither the Blacks nor the D'Aubignes wanted anything to do with their children. Only Andromeda, Sirius's favorite cousin, was invited. She, along with her husband Ted Tonks and their daughter Nymphadora, came to show their support. A few Hogwarts professors, such as McGonagall and Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Order members, like the Longbottoms, Marlene McKinnon, Sturgis Podmore, the Prewett brothers, Emmeline Vance, and Mad-eye Moody, were also in attendance. It was small, but comfortable with only those present that truly cared about them.

Lily sat at one of the tables in the small hall beside Remus. The two were watching James and Sirius run around the hall. Remus laughed, but it was a darker laugh than Lily had ever heard before. She looked up at him and he smiled somberly.

"I'm thinking about what would be different if we weren't living in a war," he muttered, running his hand over his face. "Could you imagine what James and Sirius would be doing now if they weren't forced to grow up?"

Lily shook her head. "I'm not sure I even want to think about that."

Peter approached the table, a small plate of food in his hands. He sat beside Remus and began to burrow his face into his meal. Lily merely stared at the man, whose nose was pointed and his small mustache he was attempting to grow looked more like whiskers than they should have. She felt as if she never saw Peter anymore. He was always off doing something for the Order. It was good, Lily thought, that he had dedicated himself to such a noble cause.

Someone tapped her shoulder and Lily looked up. She saw Sirius, who was standing over her with a smile on his handsomely chiseled face. "Can I have this dance?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"Shouldn't you be asking your wife?" Remus interjected with his eyebrows raised.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I would have, but James stole her!" he said indignantly, pointing to the direction of the dance floor where they saw James, in his best man dress robes, and Michelle, in her flowing white gown that made her look like a princess, laughing and having a good time. "So, I thought I'd be the nice Marauder and ask the neglected wife to dance."

Remus snorted loudly at the comment. "Nice?" he asked as Sirius pulled Lily away. Sirius turned back to stick his tongue out at his friend and then let out a bark of laughter.

"I would hardly call myself neglected," Lily told him as they approached the floor. Sirius shrugged in response.

"I had to make it dramatic," he said to her. "Work with me, Lils!"

Lily laughed as they walked. When they stopped, they were near James and Michelle. She looked around the room and saw that Logan was being kept occupied by Dumbledore and Hagrid, the latter playing peek-a-boo with the baby who looked to be more fascinated by the half-giant than the game. Nymphadora looked on, smiling at the baby boy as her hair changed color rapidly, distracting Logan from Hagrid's game. Lily had said that they could have found a babysitter, but Sirius wanted his godson to be the ring bearer, so the little boy who held the rings in his hands - and had placed the small box in his mouth to soothe his newest incoming tooth – was carried down the aisle during the ceremony.

"James!" Sirius called across the floor. When the other man turned, Sirius pointed to Lily. "I stole your wife!"

Both Lily and James began to laugh with Michelle and Sirius adding in. Lily couldn't remember a time when she had had so much fun without any worries. There was nothing to worry about. The Order work was going well, the Marauders were together and celebrating, and they were with some of the best witches and wizards they knew.

After dancing for hours, her feet were beginning to hurt and she walked away from the group, leaving Michelle with James and Sirius. As she was walking back to the table, where Remus was talking to Marlene McKinnon, she noticed a hooded figure at the entrance to the hall. Once he saw her looking, he stepped out into the light for a brief second, removing his hood for her to see him, before placing the fabric back on his head and hiding out of sight once more.

Turning around to make sure no one was watching, Lily quickly dashed forward and out into the hallway. In the darkness, she could barely make out the figure until he dropped his hood to reveal long greasy locks of black hair and cruel black eyes that softened at the sight of her, with pale skin that vividly contrasted with the shadows around him.

"Severus, what are you doing here?" she hissed. "You can't be here. I won't let you ruin this for them."

"I'm not trying to ruin it. I came here to find you," he whispered, taking hold of her elbow in his hand. She tried to shake him off, but he had grown stronger than the weak seventh year she remembered from Hogwarts. "I have to tell you something, Lily."

She looked around to see if anyone was in the hallways. Once she made sure there was no one that could spot them, she nodded. "Do it quickly before the others notice I'm gone."

Severus Snape took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they appeared lighter. "You-Know-Who's going to come after you –"

"He already has –"

"No," Snape hissed, still in a quiet voice. "Again. He wants you and Potter dead. I don't know why, but he does and he will do anything to get the job done." He shook his head, almost too seriously for a nineteen year old. "I've only found out a few things that I can tell you, but you have to promise me that you'll keep safe and out of harm's way."

Lily nodded and urged Snape to continue his speech.

"He has a spy," Snape whispered, taking her arm and pulling her farther into shadows. "He wouldn't tell who, he's smarter than that. He doesn't go spouting off information, especially to a low Death Eater like me, but it's someone close you; I know it."

"Who do you think it is?" Lily asked curiously. She was getting information from a Death Eater on the spy. This could help the Order as well. She would need to tell James.

Snape shook his head. "I don't know. He made it sound like it was one of Potter's friends. Black or Lupin probably, as no one in their right mind would use Pettigrew."

"Remus and Sirius wouldn't," Lily whispered, more to herself than Snape.

"Believe what you want," Snape replied. "I'm only telling you what I've heard. You and Potter stay separated as much as possible. He wants to take you out at the same time and he's obsessed with it." He took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. "I can only help you for so long, he might get suspicious."

Lily looked up at him and shook her head, forgetting his last words. "Where have you been? No one's seen you since Hogwarts –"

"Exactly," Snape interrupted, turning his back on her. "That's how You-Know-Who wants it. I'm supposed to stay out of sight just in case something happens. I'm to start it up again if the Dark Lord gets taken out."

"Spy for us!" Lily exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "You can do it, I know you can. Just go to Dumbledore –"

"No!" Snape shouted, quickly slapping his forehead and looking around for some who could have heard his voice. "I'd get caught, Lily. You don't understand how this works. I'm only here to help _you_," he hissed. Shadows appeared in the doorway and Snape shook his head. "I have to go, but please be safe, Lily Evans."

"It's Potter now," she told him as he dashed off. As he rounded the corner, she could have sworn she heard him say, "I know."

"Lily?" a voice called out. "What are you doing out here?"

Lily closed her eyes. Snape was long gone by now, probably having aparated to a far off land. She shook her head and turned to the speaker of the voice. Peter was standing in the doorway, his left arm pressed to his side as if he was in pain. She looked at him, furrowing her brow, and he quickly removed it from his side.

"S…Someone knocked into me," he stuttered. "I…think it's b…broken."

"Oh!" Lily said, shocked that Peter would break his arm at a party. But, it was Peter, so she didn't let it bother her. "I could heal it for you."

Peter's eyes widened. "No!" he shouted, before shaking his head and lowering his gaze to the floor. "No, that's alright, Lily," he said in a rushed, yet quieter, tone. "I…I have to be getting home anyway. I…I'll just see how it feels in the morning. Bye, Lily!"

Peter scurried off, his teeth clattering even though it was the middle of August. Lily stared after him for a moment. She wondered what was really wrong with the small, portly man. Once he was out of her viewing range, she turned to go back inside. The party was beginning to die down. Quickly spotting James and Remus, she walked to them. James held Logan in his arms as the little boy sobbed. Lily looked to a clock and cursed lightly under her breath when she noticed the time.

"I think it's time we get him home," James said when she approached. "He's tired."

"It's been a long day," she replied. She looked between the two men. "Did you see what happened to Peter? He thinks his arm might be broken."

Remus and James both began to snigger lightly under their breaths. "Yeah, he ran into Hagrid," Remus told her with a smirk on his lips. "He was playing with Logan and then passed him off to me suddenly so he could go get food."

"Ran smack into Hagrid!" James added with a chuckle. "He landed on the floor pretty hard."

"It looked almost as if he tried to do it," Remus finished. He shook his head. "What are we going to do with that poor man?"

James's chuckles quieted and he shook his head as well. "I dunno," he said lightly, his eyes still sparkling with laughter. He turned to his son, whose sobs had calmed to silent tears. "You ready to go, Log?"

Lily looked down at Logan and noticed his eyes weren't on any of them, not James, not Remus, not herself. Instead, his vibrant blue eyes were focused on the door to the hall. She smiled, figuring he saw Peter leave, and patted his little arm. Logan rarely saw Peter because the man was always away working with the Order. "It's okay, Logan, you'll see Peter soon."

Logan let out another sob.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Snape, Peter….hmm…**

**Review!**


	40. Part II: Pernicious Patrol

**Thanks for the reviews! You're all great!**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Pernicious Patrol

The final weeks of August flew by fast and September even faster. There was relatively little activity among the Death Eaters and Voldemort – if you could call a few massacred villages little activity. But, because of this, Sirius and Michelle were allowed to relax for the first few months of their marriage, without having to worry about one of them dying every time they stepped outside.

This lull in activity couldn't have been done at a more opportune time period. Logan was growing quickly. He could sit up without the support of his parents and enjoyed playing with his toys, which he often made sounds for, imitating those he had heard his parents use.

He'd begun testing out sounds that appeared to be words as well. It still brought a smile to Lily's face thinking about the time he'd first uttered something that sounded intelligible. James, Sirius, and Remus had stopped by the house, where Lily and Michelle were in the yard with Logan. The little boy's eyes had widened with happiness and he said, "Dada!" Of course, Lily was convinced he was just mimicking and didn't truly understand what the word meant, that wouldn't be for another few months.

Of course, James had jumped for joy. "Did you hear him?" he'd asked, over and over, grabbing Logan in his arms.

"No," Sirius had said sarcastically while Remus chuckled at James's reaction.

"He said, 'Dada!'" James informed him proudly. "He's an advanced child, I'm telling you. He takes after me and Lils." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Well, hopefully he didn't inherit your modesty," Sirius had said, patting his best friend on the back.

Now, nearly two months later, Logan was almost six months old and had started to crawl and jabber. They'd started to feed him solid food and he was, as always, the apple of his parents' eyes. But, it was also around his six month birthday that the Death Eater attacks became not only more violent, but more often.

The final week in October and the first week in November seemed to be the climax.

"Another attack," James said, flipping through _The Daily Prophet_ at breakfast on October thirty-first. Lily looked up, but quickly turned back to feeding Logan when he hungrily began to fuss. "Outside Cambridge this time. Twenty-seven Muggles killed and three aurors. Merlin, I'm beginning to think it's never going to stop."

Lily didn't respond. She continued to feed Logan, until she heard James chuckle.

"What is it?" she asked, turning around curiously.

He smiled and lifted the paper for her to see. On the inner page was a picture of a rotund man with white hair and a Kneazle in his arms. "Newt Scamander was made Order of Merlin, Second Class," James told her, "the only good information in this piece of rubbish."

"James, it is not the _Prophet_'s fault that the only thing that's happening is attacks nowadays," Lily said gently.

"I know," he muttered. "I just hope it stops. Soon."

Lily nodded and reached forward to squeeze his hand. "I do too," she whispered.

There was click of the door and they noticed Remus standing in the doorway. He was looking sickly again, as it was nearing the date of the full moon. "Babysitter reporting for duty," he said with a smile on his ragged face.

"Sorry about this, Remus," James said, standing to shake his hand. "They were trying not to schedule us together and this was unavoidable."

Remus shook him off. "Nah, that's fine, James." He walked to Lily's side and looked down at Logan. "Honestly, it's fun babysitting him. He's well behaved, maybe even better behaved than Sirius."

The adults all chuckled and Logan imitated the sound, even though he looked confused as to why they were laughing. Lily kissed his forehead before passing the rest of his breakfast to his babysitter. James waved goodbye, but the boy was already focused on Remus or, more importantly, the spoon in Remus's hand.

"Come on, let's go," James said once she'd grabbed her wand. "Moody will have our head if we're late."

"Where are you two patrolling?" Remus asked while feeding the baby. "Are you with Sirius and Michelle?"

"No," Lily said. Sirius and Michelle were both in Diagon Alley. Because of what happened in the past when they were together, Moody had decided to give them duty in Muggle London, where little ever happened except the occasional spotting of a Death Eater. "We're actually in St. James Park."

Remus nodded and smiled. "Have fun patrolling, then," he said. "Maybe you'll run into Peter, I think he's in Muggle London, too."

"Yeah, that's what he said when we talked to him the other day," James said. "He said he might meet us there."

They waved to Remus and he waved back before turning to give attention to Logan. James led Lily out to the car, which they drove to the usual spot before shrinking it and disapparating to the park where they would be patrolling. It was quiet and empty, except for a few families scattered around the grassy areas and a Muggle jogging down the sidewalks.

Lily looked up at James with a confused expression. It was a nice day, a little nippy as it was October, but a nice day. She didn't understand why more people weren't outside. James merely shrugged and sat down on the park bench.

"Ah well," he said, draping his arm over the back of the bench. "It makes our life easier, and then we can actually pay attention to Peter when he shows up."

Sighing, Lily sat down beside him. "I suppose you're right," she said, her eyes scanning the park. A young man was chasing after a toddler. She nudged James. "That'll be you soon," she giggled.

James laughed. "Nah, Logan will be on a broom and I'll be chasing that."

The two began to laugh even louder. Lily shut her eyes, picturing James chasing after Logan during his first ride on a broom. As the chuckles died down, the only sound she could hear was the wind blowing the leaves on the trees. Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps on the gravel could be heard. Lily's eyes snapped open, but she could see nothing different.

James had also sat up straighter and was looking around. He stiffened and turned to Lily, pointing to the gates of the park. A man with a black cloak was stealthily trying to enter without anyone seeing him.

"Death Eater?" Lily asked quietly.

James shrugged, but she could see in his eyes that he believed the man was one of Voldemort's followers. He stood, and Lily followed him as they advanced toward the man. He wasn't a very fast man, so it was very easy for James to reach him, with Lily not far behind. Once he saw that they were far enough away from the Muggles, in an area of the park that seemed to be separated from the rest, James jumped in front of the man and pulled his wand out.

Just before he said a hex, the cloaked man squealed, and threw off his hood. Peter lifted his hands in the air. "Ah! James!" He cried pathetically. "It's just me!"

"Peter!" James said exasperatedly. "We thought you were a Death Eater! What were you doing dressed in a robe like that in Muggle London?"

Peter looked shocked by the question and he quickly looked to the ground, squeaking quietly like a rat. When he looked up, he shrugged. "I just came from Diagon Alley," he told them. "No wonder everyone I saw was giving me…funny looks." He chuckled nervously.

James rolled his eyes. "Ah, Pete," he said with a grin. "What are we going to do with you?"

Something behind James and Lily caught Peter's attention. His eyes widened and he let out a squeak before quickly changing into his rat-form. The rat scurried off, leaving Lily and James to look at what was behind them.

"Oh, no," Lily whispered, seeing the person she dreaded to see the most.

"Ah, the Potters," came the calm voice. The man staring at them had only wisps of hair left and translucent skin that nearly disappeared in the autumn sunlight. Lord Voldemort smiled at them with a sickening smile. "So," he drawled. "There's no one here to help you now. No Longbottoms to hide behind. It's time for the two of you to meet your end."

Lily took out her wand, but Voldemort and James were already dueling. Going back and forth, James looked to her, telling her to leave with his eyes and not to get herself involved. She shook her head.

But, the conversation had taken his focus, and his reflexes, which had been helping him to dodge the hexes, were delayed. A red burst of light flew from Voldemort's wand and hit James square in the chest. Lily gasped as she watched James fall to the ground. She felt her heart stop as Voldemort approached him and pointed his wand at his unconscious form.

"_Avada K_–"

"No!" Lily screamed, turning her wand on Voldemort and yelling a hex that momentarily stunned the dark lord.

Voldemort turned to her and laughed his cold, sinister laugh. "Ah, Lily, I forgot about you for a moment," he said quietly. "Not want me to kill your husband?"

"_Stupefy_!" Lily yelled, sending a blast of red light out of her wand, which Voldemort blocked with a simple spell. While they're spells were locked, Lily looked around. No one was there, no one could help them.

They were going to die.

Then, she spotted it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Padfoot. He was sitting nearly out of sight, scratching himself behind the left ear. Lily looked to his left and saw a group of aurors approaching the trio. Lily focused her energy on her dueling – which hadn't been her best subject in school; all she needed to do was hold off Voldemort until they were able to come.

She and Voldemort sent spell after spell to one another. Some of them, Lily didn't even know she remembered. But, each time, the dark lord would shield himself, or effectively dodge the spell that Lily sent. Lily focused on doing the same. They were backing away, spinning in circles, so now she was facing James and Voldemort had his back to all of the aurors. Very quietly, she heard Sirius's voice. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see him kneeled over James, uttering, "_Rennervate_."

Suddenly, a jet of light erupted from her side and Voldemort howled in pain. He retreated, his fierce cries echoing through the park as he disapparated away. Lily looked over to see James rest his wand back on the ground, Sirius sitting beside him as the aurors rushed over. She hugged James, overjoyed that he was okay.

"That's it!" Moody cried out, throwing his hands in the air. "You two obviously can't be by yourselves! Every single time, _every single time_," he repeated these words to himself over and over again. Then, he noticed Sirius and groaned even more. "And you! You can't go disappearing on us! You were in front and then you weren't there anymore." He turned away and Lily thought she heard, "and where'd that damn dog go," under his breath. She smiled, he hadn't seen Sirius transform.

Michelle ran out from the group of aurors and hugged her friend. "We thought we were going to be too late!" she said, tightly squeezing Lily.

"How did you know?" Lily asked. "How did you know we were in trouble?"

"Peter," Sirius said, standing and dusting off his robes. He leaned down and helped James into a standing position and then held on to him as if he'd collapse again. "He came and found me, told me that as soon as he tried to visit you, Voldemort showed up."

Lily nodded. She'd thought Peter had been being his usual uncourageous self when he rushed off upon seeing the dark lord. "Where is he?" Lily asked, looking around but not seeing him.

Frank Longbottom pushed Peter out of the group, telling them, "here's the hero," as he did. Peter, who had been hiding behind the group of aurors, looked frightened, as if he was going to be punished in some way. Lily walked forward and smiled. "Thank you, Peter," she said nearly breaking down before him. "You saved us; we both could have been killed. We owe you so much."

"N…No, Lily," Peter stuttered. "No, you really don't."

He suddenly grabbed onto his left arm. Lily looked on with widening eyes. "Is it still broken?"

"Here, Pete," Sirius said, practically carrying a protesting James. "We'll bring you to St. Mungo's and get that fixed. We have to take James there anyway to get checked out."

"I don't need to go to St. Mungo's!" James cried out, his voice raspy from the spell.

Moody just glared at him. "Yes, you do, Potter," he said sternly. "It's procedure. You've been hit, you're going to go, and that's final! My orders – not that you like to follow them anyway."

"Yeah, like Moody said, we're taking James anyway," Sirius responded with a shrug and a smirk. "We can't have you in pain all the time."

Peter smiled and turned around, watching Sirius get ready to help transport James. Lily could see Peter, out of the corner of her eye, bring his wand to his non-broken arm and mutter a spell. His arm looked extremely broken now, and Lily furrowed her brow.

"Come on, Lils," Michelle said, pulling on her arm. "We're going to meet them there."

With two pops, Lily's vision of Peter disappeared, but she felt that there was more to Peter and his arm than met the eye.

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**Well, Peter…what do you think of him? He's a little rat, isn't he?**

**Review!**


	41. Part II: Magical Mischief

**First, I want to thank everyone for reviewing! You're all awesome!**

**Second, I just want to say that I know I promised a longer chapter, but I really wanted to get this out today and I have to study for my last final.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Magical Mischief

Lily spent the better part of the afternoon sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair on the fourth floor of St. Mungo's after the attack by Voldemort. Peter quickly had his arm healed and then rushed off, saying he had a meeting and to give James his best wishes. Lily was left to wait with Sirius and Michelle. By the time the healers had deemed the spell damage to be minimal and nothing serious, James was cranky and threatening to leave the hospital on his own if the healers didn't discharge him. Of course, the expression on James's face when he was finally let out, muttering profanity under his breath, sent Sirius into a fit of hysterics.

And, as had happened the last time, Lily and James were put on temporary leave from any fieldwork. They spent November trying to help Dumbledore with his horcrux hunt, which, at the moment, was merely brainstorming ideas. Because of their ban, they were required to work from home. This gave them extra time with Logan, which neither of them minded, but also took away from their help in the war, and Lily – who could most likely speak for James – felt guilty about their lack of participation.

But, there was nothing they could do unless they wanted to hear a stern lecture on staying out of the field by Alastor Moody.

"This party has to be fantastic!" James cheered one morning, peering at the plans he had scrawled over various pieces of parchment. "It's not every day a Marauder turns twenty!"

Lily rolled her eyes. It was the first of December, and Sirius's birthday was in two days. He was going to be the first of the Marauders to shed the teen-years, or so they called it. Lily, herself, didn't consider the four teenagers anymore, but they fully believed that if you had a one as the first number in your age, you were a teenager – one of their many tactics to stretching out their childhood, although they were all very grown up. War did that to a person. But, it was nice to see them still think that way, because it helped Lily imagine that the war wasn't as bad as it really was.

And, sometimes, imagine that it wasn't real.

She looked around the kitchen for Logan. The little boy could now stand when he was holding onto something, and it was obvious that he enjoyed his newfound freedom. She smiled, seeing him standing on his baby legs while holding the door to a cabinet that had been magically locked so it wouldn't open. He had a toy in his hand and he was banging it on the wooden door, testing its permanency.

She smiled. Logan was beginning to look more like James every day. His hair was already showing signs of being a disheveled mess like his father's. His eyes, though, were still the eyes of her father and his namesake. They were still a bright, crystalline blue that sparkled like the ocean. He looked up at her and smiled James's crooked grin.

"Are you okay, Lils?"

She shook her head and sat down at the table, resting her head in her hands. James was staring at her with concern, but she waved him off. She'd been fatigued lately and had a small backache; she chocked it up to her lack of activity. Or, perhaps she was coming down with something. Whatever it was, she didn't need James thinking it was fatal.

"I'm fine, James," she told him quietly. "I'm just a bit tired is all."

She looked back at James. He was giving her a look that clearly said that he didn't believe her. Instead of fighting him, she turned to Logan, who had forgotten his toy and was crawling toward her. "Hey, Cutie," she said, leaning over to pick him up. She attempted to hide the grimace on her face as her back sent pain through her body.

Once she had Logan in her lap, she noticed James. He had his eyebrows raised. "Just a little tired, eh?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's nothing, James," she said firmly. "It's just because I've been doing nothing. All my energy has died."

"I know what you mean," he added. Then he smiled. "This is exactly the reason why I have decided to make this lovely party for my dearest friend."

Lily rolled her eyes and looked down at Logan. He examined the parchment with a confused expression on his face. Finally, he stuck his tongue out, causing James to laugh.

"I'm sure your Uncle Sirius wouldn't be too happy with you if he saw that," he told the little boy, walking around the table. He tickled Logan's stomach and his son squealed, sucking his tongue back into his mouth.

"Did I hear my name?"

James quickly ran to his wand and made the bits of parchment disappear as Sirius and Michelle walked into the room. He leaned against the table, a suspicious smile spread across his handsome features. Sirius picked up on this and raised an eyebrow.

"You planning something completely immature for my birthday?" he asked in an extremely pompous tone. James shook his head. "You little liar – you wait until _you _hit twenty; it's going to be a mess!"

"Did you hear about Frank and Alice?" Michelle asked, walking over in order to let James and Sirius continue their mock-arguing. Lily hadn't noticed her approach and begin to coddle Logan, who gladly accepted the attention from his godmother.

Lily shook her head. "No, I haven't. What happened?"

"Oh, nothing bad," she reassured. "Alice is pregnant."

"That's good; they've been trying forever," Lily added, watching her own son. "They must be so excited. How far along is she?"

"She said about five or six weeks," Michelle stated, allowing Logan to hold her finger in his hand. "They've been checking every month for a while now, and got lucky this time. She's due at the end of July."

"Give them our congratulations if you see them," Lily said, suddenly struck by the fact that she wouldn't see Alice or Frank. Or any of the Order for that matter.

Michelle nodded, understanding the far-off sadness in the tone of Lily's voice. "We will."

The two turned to their husbands and found them talking about quidditch, their petty argument over. "Come on, Sirius," Michelle said, dragging him away from James. "Moody will kill us if we're late! You can talk to James later about whether or not the Chudley Cannons will make it into the championships."

Sirius rolled his eyes as they walked out of the room and out of sight, their conversation becoming quieter with every step they walked. "I thought you knew quidditch!"

"I do!"

"Then you'd know there is no way the Chudley Cannons should even be in the same sentence as championship."

"I just picked a team!"

Lily and James shared a look and began to laugh as the voices disappeared and the familiar popping sound filled their ears. Lily looked down at Logan, who was still waving goodbye with his hand even though his godparents were out of his sight. She turned to James.

"So," she said, "what _do_ you have planned for Sirius's party?"

A sly smirk found its way onto his face and his eyes twinkled with mischief. "You'll just have to wait and see," he told her furtively. He walked over to her and Logan, kissing the boy's head. "We wouldn't want _Logan_ to tell Sirius or Michelle about it, now would we?"

Lily rolled her eyes at James's comment, which was obviously aimed at her, and figured she'd be able to get it out of him at some point in the next few days, but she found that James wanted it to be a surprise for everyone more than she thought. She tried to get a sneak peek by going through his things and pulling out bits of parchment. He always seemed to catch her and told her that she'd have to wait like everyone else.

And, like everyone else, she did wait because, despite her many attempts, James kept it a secret.

"Okay, everyone quiet!" James shouted as the loud roars of a motorbike were heard outside. "They're here."

"And they already know who's here," Remus said, looking around the room. It wasn't a very big party – not like their Hogwarts days when everyone, even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, tried to get into the Gryffindor common room for the Marauder parties, which often included stolen firewhiskey. Instead, it was just a few friends – Remus, Peter, Lily, Michelle, and James, as well as little Logan – to celebrate Sirius's birthday.

The door opened and Sirius's voice filled the room. "James, nothing better happen to me!"

"Nothing will," James told him unconvincingly as Sirius entered the room. "All that's happening to you is opening gifts and turning another year older."

"I doubt it," Sirius muttered. Logan had crawled across to room and landed on his shoe, trying to untie the laces. Sirius picked up the boy and smiled. "Did your dad put you up to that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Dada!" Logan squealed with a smile, pointing toward James.

Sirius turned to James with a mock glare. "March twenty-seventh, right, James?" Sirius asked, shaking his head. "Yeah, your birthday's going to be _great_."

"I didn't do it!" James exclaimed, laughing as he said it. "Let's just open presents and do cake."

The adults turned to a small table piled with bags and packages with a round white cake. James pulled out his wand and quickly lit the candles. From the glint in his eyes during the song, Lily knew something was coming, and so did Sirius. Very slowly, Sirius exhaled. Once the last flame had been extinguished, a loud popping noise filled the room, causing everyone to turn to Sirius. He was surrounded by a pink smoke. When the smoke cleared, Sirius became visible again and the room burst into laughter.

Running from his chin to the floor was a beard that would rival Dumbledore's in length and color. His head was currently bald, shining in the light from the fire. Wrinkles covered his face. His eyes narrowed at James as he stroked his beard. "I thought you said I was only going to get one year older?"

"What would the fun be in that?" James asked with a smirk.

"I suppose you're right," Sirius replied, continuing to stroke his beard. "Reckon this is what I'll look like when I reach Dumbledore's age?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "You–"

Suddenly, a crash erupted and the six adults turned. Logan was sitting on the floor, his hands playing in the cake which had once been on the table. Lily looked up at James who was staring wide-eyed at his son. "Did he…?" James's question died in the air and none of the adults knew what to do.

Logan looked up and smiled. He pulled his hands out of the cake and began to giggle. The unlit candle began to flicker and finally lit itself up. Logan blew on it, but the flame wouldn't go out. Frustration on his face, he contorted his features, and the flame went out.

James broke out in a grin, but it was Sirius who spoke. "Would you look at that?" He exclaimed, reaching down and picking up his frosting-covered mess of a godson. "We've got ourselves a wizard!"

The two danced around the room, Sirius doing the dancing with Logan trying to figure out who was behind the beard and baldness. When Logan started to look scared after being unable to recall any bald men with long beards, Remus pulled out his wand and turned Sirius back. Lily found herself like James, shocked and unable to say much of anything.

"Siri!" Logan cheered once the beard fell off and Sirius's long, black locks took the place of his baldness. He patted his godfather's cheeks, covering them with frosting and bits of cake from his little hands.

"And he said my name!" Sirius said with excitement at finally being addressed by Logan. "You have now solidified your gift of a toy broom for your first birthday."

Lily just smiled, letting Sirius enjoy his birthday with his godson. She felt James's arms encircle her waist. "I had a bit more planned," he said quietly, "but Logan kind of stole my fire. First signs of magic trump a nineteen year old trying to prank his best mate."

"There's always next year," Lily replied, leaning into him as she watched Sirius continue to prance around the room with her son.

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**So, I hope you liked it and I hope the shortness didn't take away from it. A longer chapter next time is my plan. And, as I'll be in summer vacation, it will be longer. I just had to study for finals this week and everything, so it was kind of stressful.**

**Review!**


	42. Part II: Aver Gravid

**I want to thank everyone for reviewing! I love reading what you have to say.**

**This chapter's a bit longer than the one's I've been posting lately, only a bit though, it's still kind of short, so I hope you all enjoy!**

**If you know a bit of Latin, you might be able to understand what the chapter's about by the title.**

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Part II: Aver Gravid

Lily rolled over and hit her head on the bedside table. She groaned, putting her head in her hands as she sat up in the bed. James was already up and out of the room, which made Lily look at the clock. She'd slept through the entire morning.

It was safe to say that Lily didn't have a very good night. Logan had been convinced he needed to wake his parents up every hour on the hour, an unusual behavior for the well-behaved little boy. As the darkness gave way to early morning light, Lily felt sick to her stomach and left James to Logan.

She could still taste the vile remains of vomit in her mouth and it nearly made her empty her stomach once more – even though she was sure there was nothing left to come up.

The door opened and James popped his head in. "I heard a crash," he said, eyeing Lily's position. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, fine," Lily muttered, a hint of sarcasm dripping from her words.

James walked into the room and pulled out his wand. He pointed it at her and shook his head. "You don't have a fever," he said. "I thought maybe Logan was coming down with the same thing as you."

Lily looked up worriedly. "Does he have a fever?"

He shook his head. "Not at the moment. He's just being fussy. I finally got him down for a nap." He walked to the bed and sat at Lily's feet. He reached for her feet and began to massage them. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah," she said, ignoring the headache she received from hitting her head on the table. "Maybe it was just a twenty-four hour bug or something. Although, I don't know how I would have gotten it; I haven't left the house for much of anything."

James shrugged. "I bet Sirius brought it in, the mangy mutt," he said with a smile.

"Don't go blaming everything on Sirius," Lily teased. "You don't want him ending up in Azkaban for something he didn't do."

With a laugh, James smiled and nodded his head. "Lily, although you are very special, I hardly doubt anyone would be sent to Azkaban for getting you sick." He leaned forward until Lily could feel his breath in her face. "But, if I were the Minister of Magic," he kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "he'd be sentenced to life."

She swatted his arm. "James!"

"Kidding," James said, leaning back. His face grew grave. "You're very important to me, and I don't like seeing you sick."

"I know, but I'm fine," Lily insisted. She lifted herself out of the bed and smiled. "There, all better."

Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her and she reached the bathroom just before she emptied her stomach. When she was finished she looked up and noticed James leaning on the doorframe, a concerned look on his face. "Do you want me to make an appointment with the healer?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, it's just a little bug. It's nothing."

James sighed. "I know you're stubborn, but Lils, we need to get you treated so Logan doesn't get it," he said.

"I suppose you're right," Lily said, looking away from him. She could hear his footsteps walking away and stood. Standing in front of the mirror, she wiped her face with a damp cloth and frowned. She didn't feel ill, just nauseous. She reached in the cupboard for a cup, but became distracted when her eyes landed on a box.

She pulled it out and looked inside. It was full of "female products" as James and Sirius called them. She was musing about not using them in a while when she felt her heart drop.

She hadn't used them in a while.

Placing the box down on the counter, she rushed out of the room and into the bedroom. On the far wall was a calendar. Her cycle was never known for being regular – unlike her friends (namely Michelle) – and she usually marked the days she started. The old year's calendar was in the trashcan and she flipped through it.

The last dot was in early October. It was January first.

Her vision became blurry. Early October – that couldn't be. She remembered having spotting in November, which was why she let her backache in December slide. She sat on the floor shaking her head. When she'd been pregnant with Logan she had used that as evidence in her denial, but the healer had told her it was implantation bleeding.

She stood and ran back to the bathroom to look in the full length mirror on the back of the door. She ran a hand over her stomach and she began to shake. Her stomach wasn't quite as flat as it had been last time she looked, not that she appeared to be showing. She shook her head vigorously. She didn't even know if she was pregnant, let alone showing.

Sighing, Lily knew she needed to tell James her suspicions. The last time she was pregnant, Lily denied it and it could have caused problems with her little boy. She'd learned that much from the ordeal, and that maybe being pregnant wasn't so bad. It did give her Logan after all.

"James!" she called. She heard a thundering of footsteps that grew louder and louder until she could see his face in the doorway. He was breathing heavily, as if he had run a marathon. His eyes wandered around the room.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning against the door and looking around for something wrong. He frowned when he saw Lily looking in the mirror, obviously confused as to why she was standing in front of the mirror with her pajama top lifted up. "What are you doing?"

She looked up at him and they stared at each other for a moment before a sudden look of realization hit his face. It was as if they were communicating telepathically. "You don't think…?"

"I don't know," she said, straightening out her shirt. "But all the symptoms are there. I just checked."

James rubbed his hand over his face and took a deep breath. "How far along do you think you are…if you are," he said quietly.

Lily thought for a moment, her eyes falling to the floor. "Well, last time I had it was early October, so…" she muttered to herself. She looked at James and said, "Three months at most, probably less."

James didn't say anything. Instead, he sat on the counter and made clucking noises with his tongue. He sighed and remained silence for another moment. "I suppose now's as good a time as any to give Logan a sibling–"

"A brother," Lily said. She didn't want daughters; she and James had been over it before.

"We don't even know if you're pregnant yet," James responded teasingly. "You can't go off saying it's a boy already! Not that I would mind if it was a boy," he added the last bit with a smirk.

Lily looked at James's face. With Logan, he had always been enthusiastic, and he looked just as excited now. She could see the sparkle in his eyes, and she felt a wave of excitement run through her own body. Logan had been the best thing to happen to them since they were married. Sure, it would be hard, but now they would have two little boys to love if her suspicions were correct.

"So you're not mad?"

James's eyes widened. "Mad? Why would you think I'd be mad?" he asked. "Of course I'm not mad. I never wanted Logan to be an only child; I'd never wish it on anyone. It gets lonely. Plus, we'd spoil him like my parents did to me and we'd end up sending Logan off to school with an ego as big as mine was." He smiled. "And I thought you had three names on that list."

"I do," Lily said, sitting on the side of the bathtub. "Harry and Jamison are left."

He nodded his head. "Okay, before we get too excited, I'll run down to Pete's and get one of those stupid Muggle test things." Lily smiled and watched him stand so he could go to Pete Williams's Variety Shop. He made it to the door before he turned around. "You know, I'm going to get mobbed on the way out of that store by all the neighbors."

"Have fun," Lily said, waving her hand and smiling. "I think Mrs. Williams is working today."

Mrs. Williams was an older woman, Pete's wife, who was often behind the register. She liked to spoil the kids in town by giving them free treats, and also told every person who came into the store whatever story was the talk of the town. Not only that, but she loved James, and also felt the need to tell Lily every time she walked in the store that she and James made "the cutest couple" and then would coo over Logan for hours.

"Oh, Merlin," James groaned. "I'll never get out of there. She's the biggest gossip in town too; I didn't think Muggles could talk that fast. Actually, I didn't think anyone could spread rumors that fast, magic or no magic."

Lily smiled. "The sooner you go, the sooner you can be released from her clutches."

He glared at her playfully before running out of the room. Lily chuckled and followed him into the hallway. Out the window, she watched him walk down the road. He looked up at her from the street and blew her a kiss, which she caught in her hand like a lovesick teenager. She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach with her hand and began to hum the lullaby she sang to Logan.

She walked into Logan's room and looked at him in his crib. He was napping, his arms around a stuffed black dog Sirius gave him for Christmas. "How would you like a little brother to watch over and protect?" Lily asked him softly, not wanting to wake him from his slumber.

"Which name do you like better – Jamison or Harry? I like Jamison, but your father will never go for it," she muttered. "Says it reminds him of his ego that he had at school."

Logan continued to sleep, oblivious to his mother's words, quietly breathing in sync with Lily's calm breaths. She smiled. "I don't know what's different this time," she whispered. She let her eyes travel to the window. "I was just so scared with you. I was scared that the war would tear us apart, I guess. I was guilty, Logan, bringing you into such conflict."

She shook her head. "And the conflict's worse this time, but I'm not scared anymore. Maybe it's having you and knowing what joy you bring. Maybe it's that I don't think Moody will ever let your father and I back out to do fieldwork again. Or, maybe it's that there are plenty of babies being born. I mean, Molly Weasley – you met her once in Diagon Alley, a nice redheaded woman with lots of kids who you wouldn't remember – but, she's due in early March, Fabien said."

She looked away from the window and back down at her son. He was blissfully sleeping. She stood and walked out of the room, closing his door behind her as the sound of footsteps rang out. James walked into the hallway, a large bag in his hands that was overflowing with pregnancy tests.

"How many did you get?" she asked in disbelief.

James shrugged. "You were right, Mrs. Williams was there. She saw me walk in and bee-lined it straight for me with a bag and just started throwing things in. I think I've got about fifty!" He shook his head. "She's so excited you'd think she was having the kid! She pushed me out of the store before I could pay for them, told me to come back later. Personally, I think she just wants to be the first person to know."

"Here," Lily said, holding her hand out for the bag. "I'll do this while you get a timer."

"I hope you drank a lot," James sniggered as he walked to the stairs. "You have fifty tests to use up."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Just go get the timer," she said playfully.

Once she saw him walk down the stairs, she went into the bathroom. She took four of the tests, knowing that the Muggle products were unreliable. Then, she waited with James on the edge of the tub.

"Why didn't we ask how to use magic to figure this out when we had Logan?" James asked impatiently. "We could've known by now."

Lily just shrugged and placed her head in her hands. After what seemed like eternity the buzzer of the timer beeped and the two leapt up. She looked down at the four little screens. All displayed a pink plus sign. Lily looked to James.

He was smiling. "Looks like we're having another baby," he said.

Lily nodded. "It would appear so," she replied. "But, we need an appointment with the healer, just to make certain and to confirm nothing's wrong."

"I'm on it," James said, kissing her cheek and running down the stairs once again.

When he returned, Lily looked up at him. "Are you sure this is such a great thing?" she asked. "I mean, Logan's still young."

James kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine. A new year, a new baby," he said, resting his head on hers. "This is our year, Lils, 1980 is our year."

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**So, what do you think?**

**Review!**


	43. Part II: Double Trouble

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'm glad to see you're all very excited about the newest baby Potter.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Double Trouble

Lily and James decided that they would keep the news of the baby a secret for a while. It was, after all, a very exciting time for the parents, and one they wanted to have to themselves. They found keeping this secret was not as hard as they thought. Because of their friends' work with the Order – and Lily and James's lack of – they rarely saw their friends anymore. There was the occasional floo call from Sirius and Michelle, where Sirius ranted about Moody long enough to take over the conversation ("Constant Vigilance!" Sirius would mock) so none of the others could get a word in. And, of course, the full moon, which was on January second, but Lily and James hadn't even been to the healers by that point.

Now it was nearing Lily's birthday and she thought it was time to tell them. She knew that Remus would figure it out the moment he saw her, and she didn't want Michelle to pick up on it and call her out. So, on the day Michelle and Sirius had off, Lily and James decided to tell them they would be godparents for a second time.

They had been to the healer by this time. His name was Michael Harrison, the same healer they went to when they were expecting Logan and a man that Lily trusted beyond belief. He looked her over and ran some tests.

"It looks like he's progressing beautifully," he told them. He had auburn hair that was prematurely graying at the sides. He appeared to be about the same age as the Prewett brothers. "If I had to bet, I'd say he'll be bigger than Logan was; you're already beginning to show a bit."

"It's a boy?" Lily asked, hearing the multiple uses of 'he' by the healer.

"Oh, yes," he said with a smile. "Just like you wanted."

Lily had let out a breath of relief. Her baby boy was fine and due at the end of July, just like Frank and Alice's baby. Healer Harrison stood from his stool and walked to James's side, holding out a hand for him to shake. Logan, who was situated in James's arms, looked up at the healer with curiosity.

"You're going to have a little brother before you know it," Healer Harrison told him, ruffling the small amount of unruly black hair Logan had on his head. Logan grinned. "A friendly little guy," Harrison told Lily and James, "a little social butterfly, a lot of kids at this age are still scared of strangers."

James chuckled. "It comes from me," he said, pointing to himself with a smirk on his lips. Lily playfully swatted him with the back of her hand.

Once the healer had left, Lily was cleaned up and given certain directions by a mediwitch, a plump redheaded woman who reminded her of Molly Weasley in both looks and personality. The woman had smiled at the young couple and her words still stuck with Lily. "The world needs more children," she'd told them.

Now, a few days before Lily's birthday, Michelle was taking her out to Hogsmeade. Lily was going to tell her about the baby while they walked around the old village they used to visit as students and James would tell Sirius back at the house, while they had a "man day" with Logan.

"I always miss Hogsmeade," Michelle said as snow crunched under their shoes. "Whenever Sirius and I go to Diagon Alley, I always think about coming here instead, and we just never do."

Lily nodded in agreement. "Oh, I know, I haven't been here in ages. I feel like a thirteen year old again coming to the first Hogsmeade weekend."

The two girls laughed as they continued down the stretch of road. As they approached the Hog's Head Inn, the door opened and slammed shut in front of them. A cloaked figured stormed down the street and nearly ran into them. Instead, he attempted to pass them and was knocked to the ground by a portly man that continued his stroll. A swift gust of wind pushed the hood from the man's head and Lily was surprised to see Severus Snape.

"Severus, what are you doing?" she asked quietly, kneeling down beside him. Michelle rolled her eyes and turned to look in a store window. "I thought you said Voldemort wanted you in hiding."

"He did," Snape replied, hurriedly standing and wiping the snow from his robes. "I have to go."

He tried to run, but Lily grabbed his arm. "Have you thought about what I said, about being a spy? I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't –"

"Listen, Lily," Snape hissed. "I have to go, and no, I haven't thought about it. I'm not becoming a spy, and before you say anything I don't have anything to tell you that will help your little friends. I don't know anything; I'm low down on the Death Eater food chain!"

He withdrew his arm from Lily's grasp. He quickly looked around and then leaned forward. In her ear, he whispered, "A boy born as the seventh month dies is really important, that's all I know. Work with that."

Lily watched as he rushed down the road, looking around frantically as he ran. Michelle approached her and shook her head. "Honestly, I don't understand why you're still friends with that Death Eater," she spat. "It's only a matter of time before the evidence puts him in Azkaban."

But, Lily didn't hear her because her thoughts were being plagued by Snape's words. A boy born as the seventh month dies – what could that mean? A boy born in July – was he already born or was he going to be born? Why was he important? She placed her hand protectively to her stomach.

"Lily?"

She shook her head and looked to Michelle. She tried smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. Michelle looked at her with concern. "Are you okay, Lily?" she asked, taking her arm gently and guiding Lily to a bench.

"I'm fine," Lily muttered. "It was just something Severus said."

"Oh, Lily!" Michelle hissed, shaking her head in disgust. "Don't listen to a word he says. I told you the same thing at Hogwarts, but do you ever listen? No!"

Lily patted Michelle's hand. "Don't worry, I'll stop. I'm beginning to believe you about him anyway," she told her – a lie; a little white lie never hurt anyone.

"Good," Michelle said. She stood. "Let's go inside, someplace warm."

As Lily stood, she saw Albus Dumbledore guiding a woman out of the Hog's Head. She was extremely thin with glasses that nearly covered her entire face. She wore clothing that seemed to have jumped out of books about gypsies Lily had read when she was younger.

"Albus!" Michelle greeted as the two walked near them. "It's good to see you."

"And you as well," Dumbledore replied. "Michelle, Lily, this is Sibyll Trelawney, the new Divination professor at Hogwarts," he turned to the woman, "Sibyll, this is Lily Potter and Michelle Black, two of my former pupils."

Lily merely smiled. Personally, she thought Divination was a waste of time and had even stormed out of the class halfway through her third year after her teacher prophesized her impending death and preceded to tell James he was destined to be famous in the wizarding world for his bravery. Sibyll seemed to be lost in a daze, looking around from Dumbledore to the scenery to Lily and Michelle. They quickly waved goodbye and went their separate ways down the road.

The walk to the Three Broomsticks was filled with chatter as Lily and Michelle remembered their Hogwarts days and especially the times they had in the only Divination class they had before they switched to Muggle Studies in fourth year. There was a light dusting of snow falling to the ground around them and they quickened their speed until they were at the door to the pub.

They sat down at a table in the back, both with a glass of water instead of the usual Butterbeer. They talked for a brief moment before Lily shivered from a draft and Michelle looked at her oddly. "Lils, how come you didn't get a Butterbeer if you were cold?" she asked.

Lily smiled to herself. "Well, it has alcohol in it," she said, waiting to see if Michelle would understand her hint.

Michelle's eyes widened almost immediately. "You're pregnant?" she asked excitedly. Lily nodded in response and Michelle's eyes clouded with mischief. "Good," she added. "We can go through this together."

This time it was Lily's turn to widen her eyes. "You are too?" she asked.

"I haven't been to a healer, but I'm ninety-nine percent sure that I am," Michelle told her. "I mean, I'm never late and I am now; I'm tired, nauseous, and apparently – according to Sirius – I want to eat weird things."

"Have you told Sirius?"

Michelle looked down sheepishly. "No," she whispered. "I mean, what if he doesn't want it, or what if he does and then gets really excited and I'm not pregnant after all."

Lily smiled slyly at her friend. "Well, we are near Hogwarts," she said with a wink.

Her friend immediately caught on to what she was suggesting and shook her head. "No," Michelle said. "No, no, no, no, no. I am not going to Hogwarts to find out if I'm pregnant or not!"

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey wouldn't mind," Lily reasoned. "Plus, then you can find out whether or not you are having a baby before you tell Sirius your suspicions."

It wasn't long before Lily had Michelle out of the Three Broomsticks and climbing the hill to the school. Inside the castle they saw students running around with broad grins and a white glow about them that neither of the now grown women had seen since their finals days as students. They quickly walked passes a group of Ravenclaws talking about one of their classes and entered the hallway that lead to the hospital wing.

It hadn't changed since the last time Lily had been there. She felt Michelle shiver, obvious recalling the same event, the time where she had almost been killed, supposedly by curse casted from none other than Sirius's insane cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. It had been an awful time and people began to blame Sirius, who was already distraught that he hadn't been able to stop Bellatrix and didn't need the extra guilt placed on his shoulders.

Surprisingly, all of the beds in the wing were empty. The same couldn't be said for any of the years Lily had been a student; there had always been someone visiting Madam Pomfrey.

When the doors closed behind them, Madam Pomfrey came out from her office as if they had triggered some sort of alarm. Michelle turned to Lily. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," she hissed so the matron couldn't hear her.

"It's for your own good," Lily replied, turning away and smiling at the woman approaching them.

"Lily, Michelle, what brings you two to Hogwarts?" she asked. "You both are in good health, I assume. I usually saw your husbands more than you two."

"Oh, we're fine," Lily stated. "We were just wondering, since we were in Hogsmeade, if you would check something for us. Michelle hasn't been feeling well lately and we think she may be pregnant. Is there any way you could check?"

Madam Pomfrey waved her hand, signaling for Michelle to lie on the nearest bed. "Of course," she said, taking out a few potions from a shelf and her wand. "This is trainee spell work. Anyone planning on having children should know this; it comes in very handy."

Lily didn't see what she did. All Lily noticed was a few quick waves of a wand because her mind was already thinking of something else. If Michelle was pregnant, they would be having their children around the same time. They'd be friends. A little Potter and a little Black. Suddenly, she felt sorry for the professors at Hogwarts as they would have to deal with what would be the next set of Marauders.

Or, perhaps, maybe this Potter-Black duo would be more like their mothers than their fathers. They could only hope for the sanity of the Professors that this was the case. Maybe it would be a little girl to offset the two Potter boys, or a Sirius lookalike who, along with Lily's son, would cause McGonagall strife.

"Did you hear that, Lily?"

Lily turned to Michelle to find Madam Pomfrey had left. In truth, Lily hadn't heard, but by looking at her friend, she knew what was said. A broad smile had spread itself out on her face, her eyes sparkled in delight. Lily didn't say a word and instead grinned back at her.

"When are you due?" Michelle asked, sitting up from her position on the bead.

"At the end of July," Lily responded.

Michelle nodded. "They'll be less than a few weeks apart. I'm due in the middle of August."

Lily knew her friend was elated by the news, although she had never mentioned wanting a child. She hadn't needed to; the look in her eyes when she was around Logan spoke volumes. And now, they'd have children at the same time, who would go to Hogwarts together, who would grow up as best friends. "Here," Lily said, reaching a hand out to help her off the bed. "Let's get you home. I bet you can wait to tell Sirius the big news!"

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**Before any of you say: that was really random about Michelle and Sirius's baby; it's been planned for a while. Last chapter I dropped a hint, a very subtle one that I didn't expect anyone to pick up on, but just enough so it wouldn't seem random now.**

**Also, about the spelling of Professor Trelawney's name, I went with the American version. In the British books it is spelled a bit differently, but I had already started spelling it the American way when I checked the Harry Potter Lexicon to check the book version of her appearance.**

**What did you think of Snape in this chapter? He's an interesting fellow, isn't he?**

**Review!**


	44. Part II: The Letter

**I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! You're all very kind.**

**Also, Tenbury Wells, which is mentioned in this story, is a real place – therefore it's not mine. Thanks to Wikipedia and Google for helping me to find it and giving me some information on it.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: The Letter

It wasn't until April that Lily received the letter. In all reality, she had completely forgotten about her sister and mother. The kind women of Godric's Hollow cared more about her than her own family did, so she let her mind push Elizabeth Evans and Petunia Dursley to the back of her mind. They hadn't even sent a Christmas card.

So, in late April, Lily was rather shocked to find a bit of mail on the floor under the mail drop. Usually, she and James sent letters to themselves – all looking like professional documents so the neighbors wouldn't become suspicious. And, there was the time that Sirius decided to try – the mailman had been awfully confused as to why there were eighteen stamps and a return address that stated: Sirius Black, The Orchard.

"I think the mailman thinks Sirius is crazy," James said, after he brought the letter into the living room for Lily to see.

She had merely smiled. In the three months she had known she was pregnant, Lily found herself completely useless. It was a horrible pregnancy in comparison to Logan's. She felt uncomfortable because the baby – as Healer Harrison had said – was growing at a miraculous speed. By the time she was five months along at the end of March, she looked about ready to pop. And, it didn't help that this baby, unlike Logan, decided he needed to kick her every minute of the day. At first, it had been cute, now it was just annoying. It wasn't something she couldn't handle and she took potions to keep her mind off it.

Also, to keep the stress that came with being the expecting mother who had a ten month old to a reasonable level, Lily would visit Michelle, who found spending time alone at her home rather boring. James would take care of Logan as Lily flooed – as she could no longer apparate due to her pregnancy – to the Black residence. Because their London apartment was much too small to raise a child, Sirius and Michelle had bought a house of their own. It was located in Worcestershire, on the outer limits of Tenbury Wells, a small Muggle market town known for its fruit orchards. Hence, the name of the house: The Orchard.

The Orchard was white with a wraparound porch and on the porch was a swing that Lily and Michelle often occupied on the days Lily visited. From the porch, the two could see for miles, and Lily smiled thinking about how it was a marvelous place for a child to grow up, running in and out of trees that produced apples, plums, and pears. She had no doubt that her boys would spend time doing just that, and sometimes she imagined two black haired boys running around with a little Sirius or a miniature Michelle.

In many ways, Lily found that pregnancy distanced her from the war. While she knew it was still a war, a horrible war that appeared only to be getting worse, all she heard were the rare tidbits of information shared between Sirius and James.

It was not hard to see that James was frustrated being cooped up in the house while Sirius continued his work for the Order. He wanted to go out so badly that Lily wouldn't have been surprised if she came home one day from visiting Michelle to find him gone with a note telling her that Logan was down the road with Bathilda Bagshot – a kind older witch, as well as author of _A History of Magic_, who kept an eye on them.

"I truly believe Moody's going to go insane – or rather, more insane than he already is," Sirius said one day in early April. Lily had almost walked into the living room where James and Sirius were talking, Logan sitting on James's feet playing with a small dragon that spit fake flames. She stopped and listened, knowing that if she walked in they would stop talking. "If he doesn't get Karkaroff soon, I'm afraid of what will happen to him. He's been tracking him since February."

"Why does he want Karkaroff so badly?" James wondered.

Sirius merely shrugged. "Haven't a clue, but he wants him and he wants him _bad_."

"Anything else?" James asked.

There was a pause and Sirius sighed. "Yeah, remember how I told you that Caradoc Dearborn disappeared at beginning of the month?" James nodded. "Well, we're presuming him dead. Haven't been able to find a body, though. Damn Death Eaters probably destroyed it."

Lily had turned away at that point. She always liked Caradoc.

As April began to slip away and the July due date of their son loomed closer, Lily and James began to find themselves at a loss as to what to name their new baby. Lily, always persistent, wanted to name the baby Jamison. James, just as persistent if not more that his wife, didn't.

"Lily, it will make me look conceited!" James exclaimed, closing a book of baby names that Lily was merely skimming. He pushed the book off the edge of the bed.

"I don't see what makes you think that way," Lily said, leaning against the pillows. "People name their children after themselves all the time. We did it with Logan!"

James shook his head. "But, not really! Not exactly, not like naming him Jamison where a part of my name is one of the most prominent syllables!"

"But, it means James's son, which is true!" Lily told him.

With a sigh, James pulled out his family tree. Skimming the names, he began to read off a few of the names. "Hmm…let's see: Charlus, Ezra, Chauncey, Phineas, Godric, Calix, Ignotius." James looked up at her. "We could do it randomly," he suggested, looking back at the parchment and following one of the lines with his finger. "What's the name of your…first cousin, twice removed?"

Lily rolled her eyes and looked down at her family tree. She smiled at the name and deadpanned, "Louise."

"Well, that won't work," James said, throwing the parchment to the ground along with the book. He crawled toward her and laid beside her, his arms rested around her swollen belly. "Lily," he breathed. "Why is this so hard this time?"

"Because you are being your stubborn self," she told him.

James grinned and buried his face in her shoulder. "What about Harry? What's so wrong with Harry?"

Lily turned to face him. "You know why I don't like it for a given name. It's too much like a nickname," she said. "If we could find something beside Harold that could give him that nickname, then I'm all for it, but…I don't know; it just doesn't settle right with me."

The baby gave a hard kick and James smiled at her. "I think the baby agrees with you," he joked as the baby kicked once more. He lifted himself up and placed his face so close to Lily's stomach his nose was touching the cloth of her shirt. "Why don't you just tell us your name?" he asked, as if the baby would answer.

"James, I don't think that will work," Lily giggled.

He looked up, grinning back at her before sticking his face back to her stomach. "One kick for yes, two kicks for no."

At this, Lily began to laugh, covering her mouth her hand. He glanced up at her with a genuine smile. "That won't work either, will it?" he asked, his hazel eyes sparkling gleefully.

Lily, unable to talk because of her giggles, shook her head. James opened his mouth to say something when a cry came from Logan's room. He bowed his head in defeat. "Baby beckons," James said, jumping from the bed and running out of the room. Lily lifted herself up and waddled down the hallway. She looked in the room and smiled at the sight of James cradling Logan, who was drifting back to sleep.

She continued walking down the stairs, and, when she arrived, found a letter on the floor under the mail drop. She frowned and walked over, her hand on her stomach. Picking it up, she recognized the neat script of one Petunia Dursley. She sat at the kitchen table and opened it, letting a single sheet of paper fall to the table.

_Lily_, the letter read.

_As it is the end of April, I suppose it is time to tell you. Mother died in January. It was a rather quick bit of illness and she was rather happy. I, her daughter, was there with her when she passed. You need not worry about attending the funeral, it has already occurred. It was quiet with only a few of her closest friends and me. No one questioned where you were, or your freak of a husband for that matter. I figured, since it has been four months, you'd like to know. Also, I'd like to inform you that Vernon and I are expecting a little boy at the end of June. See, unlike you freaks, we waited until the opportune moment so we can give our little Duddykins – we're naming him Dudley – everything his heart desires._

_Petunia_

Lily had always imagined that she would feel a pang of guilt when her mother passed. She thought she'd cry, have tears running down her face wondering how she could forget all about her. But, nothing of the sort happened. In fact, the letter had only achieved to bring Elizabeth Evans and Petunia Dursley, and the fact that the two of them hated her, back to the front of her mind. She quickly crumpled the paper in her hand.

"What's that?" James asked. He was standing on the bottom step looking out at her, Logan, not in his arms, but safely tucked away under a thin blanket in his crib.

"Apparently, my mother died," she said, "in January."

James looked at her confused. "It's the end of April."

"I know," Lily said, crumpling the paper into an even more compact ball. "Petunia thought it wise to tell me now." She thought about the letter and laughed a bit. "And the fact that she and her whale are expecting a 'little' boy at the end of June."

James snorted. "I hope they don't expect him to be very little," he sniggered.

"And," Lily said with a smile. "They are naming the poor thing Dudley so they can call him Duddykins."

After Lily said this, James exploded into laughter. Clutching both sides of body with his hands, James laughed so hard his face turned red. "Oh, that's rich," James said through his laughter. "Duddykins, I don't think we could do any worse than that, Lils, even if we end up not giving the boy a name."

"So, he's going to be called nameless, now is he?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows. "Nameless Potter?"

James nodded with a broad smile across his face. "Yes, and I was thinking if we have another we'll name that one Unknown Potter," he said, putting on a serious expression. "Logan, Nameless, and Unknown, I think are very good names. Could you imagine at the sorting?" He changed his voice so it sounded similar to the sorting hat. "Potter, Nameless!"

"James Potter, what am I going to do with you?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know; I don't think there's a cure."

"What a shame," Lily said quietly, as if truly upset by James's words. "I don't know what I'm going to tell Logan when he's old enough to figure out what you really are."

James stepped closer to her, his nose touching hers. "And, what would that be?"

"A freak," Lily whispered in a voice scarily similar to Petunia's.

The two began to laugh, completely forgetting the letter that was crumpled on the kitchen table. Later that day, Lily would pick it up and throw it away, not bothering to respond. She figured that Petunia didn't want her to respond anyway. And, she could always send an owl, just to bug her sister. It was times like these that Lily forgot all about the war going on outside her home. On days like these it was just James and Lily, James and Lily and little Logan, and before long, another Potter would join the crew. They decided to both choose a name, and then, when the baby was born, they would decide together while looking directly into the eyes of their newborn son.

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	45. Part II: Nearly Eight

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Part II: Nearly Eight

The house suddenly felt empty. Lily sat on the couch, her hand absentmindedly rubbing her stomach as she stared at the fireplace. She shouldn't be – he wouldn't be home for hours. He wouldn't even arrive by floo anyway. He would apparate and then drive home like he always did.

She sighed.

Logan was sitting on the floor, scribbling on a piece of parchment with a pack of crayons James brought home the other day. Ellery, the man who owned the pub, gave them to him as an early birthday gift for Logan. She smiled down at her little boy. In five days, June fifth, he would be a year old. Not that Logan knew what was going on.

But, today was not June fifth; it was May thirty-first.

Lily turned back to the fireplace, but it remained its regular color. James told her that he would send one of the Marauders to "keep her company" – which really meant check up on her. She hoped it would be Remus or Sirius, and not Peter, but knew she couldn't be picky. Whichever Marauder had the day off or a break would come and see her.

Today was the first day James was back with the Order. She hadn't wanted him to go, but they were desperate for members. She had to chuckle because three were out because they were pregnant. Unfortunately, Caradoc Dearborn had been missing for two months, which added to their lack of numbers. When Moody had come to the Potter home and asked James to return, he couldn't say no.

"Lils, I have to go," he had said, kissing her forehead. "I'll be careful. I promise."

She didn't doubt that he would be careful. But sometimes, it didn't matter if a person was careful or not. This thought led her to her current state, sitting on the couch, looking at the fireplaces as if James would jump out any minute.

"Mummy!"

She looked down and saw Logan smiling at her. He held up the piece of parchment, covered in multicolored lines and squiggles. She grinned. "That's beautiful, Logan," she stated.

He crawled across the floor, the drawing still in his grasp. Once he reached the couch, he lifted himself up and placed a hand on Lily's stomach. The baby kicked, and he looked up at her with bright-eyed, childhood innocence. "Baby," he said quietly.

"Yes, that's your baby brother," she said, reaching over to lift him to the couch. He sat beside her and she stroked the tuft of unruly black hair on his head. Logan had managed to learn how to say four words: Mummy, Daddy, Siri, and baby. Other than that, everything else came out as a mishmash of imitated sounds.

He could walk on his own for short distances now, but preferred to crawl on his hands and knees unless he saw Sirius, James, or Remus. When the three men were around, he pushed himself up and struggled on his wobbly legs. He didn't have to go far because one of the three would pick him up and praise him, but Lily thought it was hilarious that he wanted to show off to them.

There was also a fair amount of accidental magic that happened when he was around. The other day James's spoon kept disappearing and reappearing, much to Logan's delight and his father's annoyance. Sirius found his hair a bright shade of neon green the last time he'd visited. He'd even turned the cat's fur blue, which made her hiss at him. But, Logan was her little angel and, like any mother, she believed he could do no wrong.

She looked down at him and found the little boy had fallen asleep. She gently laid him down and covered his little body with a blanket. It was about time for his nap anyway. She stood up and waddled – oh, she hated how she waddled now – into the kitchen. Her feet were swollen; her stomach was huge. Looking at her stomach, it was hard to believe she still had two months before the due date. And, she'd have to say, she was jealous of Michelle. Her best friend wasn't half as big as she was.

She laughed when she thought about Michelle. Her best friend was dying in agony because she wanted to know what she was having. But, Sirius demanded it be a surprise. She remembered during Christmas in their seventh year, Michelle had sent her a letter saying Sirius's gift had bitten her because she had tried to open it early. James had laughed, saying that was Sirius, can't ruin a surprise.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, she looked down at her stomach. "I've picked out two names for you that your father won't like," she said, rubbing circles on her swollen belly. "I have a first choice, but we'll just have to see."

Grinning, she chuckled. "What do you think?" she asked. "How do you like Jamison Edward? It's after your father and my grandfather."

As expected, there was no response except a firm kick.

"Or, there's Harry James if your father won't let me name you that," she continued. "I don't know though. See, I don't want you stuck with the name Harry if someday you grow up and want something a bit more grown up and not so much like a nickname. But, I can't see you as a Harold."

The baby kicked again, this time with a bit more fervor. "You agree with me," she said. "But, your father hates Jamison, so you might end up being Harry anyway. If it were my choice, I'd name you Jamison; but, you are your father's son as well, and I can't go naming you something he absolutely hates."

Once again the baby kicked and she giggled, following his kicks with her hand. They were becoming more frequent and a bit harder with each kick. "And you'll have your very own best friend after a few weeks," she said softly. "I'm not sure what those godparents of yours are thinking about for names, but I know you two will be great friends. I mean, you are a Potter and a Black."

From her seat she could see the couch in the living room. She smiled, seeing Logan's sleeping form. "And you're going to get along so well with your big brother," she told her protruding stomach. "Remember, I told you about him. His name is Logan and he's almost a year old now."

The house fell quiet and Lily sighed. It was rather peaceful, but also quite lonely.

"Lily!"

She looked up to see Michelle standing in the doorway. She was leaning against the wood, a smile spread across her face. "I can't stay long," she said, moving to a seat across from her friend. "Sirius made me promise not to leave the house, and specifically our bed. He's actually apparating back and forth for a few seconds every hour just to make sure I haven't moved."

Lily chuckled. "He's just protective," she told her. "And he's nervous. I remember what James was like with Logan. He never left me alone for more than five minutes."

"I suppose you're right," Michelle replied.

"You wouldn't know by any chance who James might send to check on me, would you?" Lily asked, hoping she wouldn't reply saying Peter.

It wasn't that she hated Peter. He was still the same as he was in Hogwarts, still scurrying under people's feet, still mousy. Lily wasn't favorable to the man and now that she was pregnant, he was even weirder around her. He was always asking her how she felt, when her due date was, if she thought the baby would be powerful. It was these odd questions that made Lily uncomfortable around him. She hadn't said anything to James. After all, Peter was one of his best friends.

"I would have to say Remus," Michelle said after thinking for a moment. "He's still recovering from the full moon the other day, so he's not out with the Order. He still has another day of rest."

"Oh right," Lily said, shaking her head. "How could I forget the full moon was two days ago."

Suddenly, the baby kicked harder than ever before. In fact, it didn't even feel like a kick at all. She grimaced and Michelle looked scared. Lily waved her hand, thinking it was just a Braxton Hicks contraction. Still, she didn't want to worry Michelle, who would go into a panic.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes displaying her emotion.

"Yes, quite," Lily replied, the pain subsiding. "When did Sirius last check on you?"

Michelle thought for a moment. "About an hour ago," she said. "But, if you want me to stay –"

"Nonsense," Lily interrupted. She stood and began to waddle out of the room toward the fireplace. "We don't want Sirius to worry. If you're not there, I wouldn't be surprised if he had the Order out looking for you."

"Good point," Michelle said, following Lily. She took a handful of floo powder from the bag on the fireplace. She turned back to Lily. "Floo if you need me."

Lily nodded and smiled, knowing Michelle was just overreacting. Her friend stepped into the fireplace, shouted her destination, and was gone as the bright green flames engulfed her body. Once the flames had turned back to their regular reddish glow, she walked to the couch to find Logan in a peaceful slumber.

Taking the little boy in her arms, she brought him upstairs so he could be more comfortable. She entered his room and placed the boy in the crib. She stroked the side of his face with her finger before walking out of the room and back down the stairs. Knowing Remus would be by soon, she sat down on the couch to wait for him.

But, she soon grew bored on the couch and walked to the window. Outside a few of the Muggle children were playing in the street with a ball that they were kicking. She smiled, knowing that her children would always have someone to play with, whether it be the neighborhood kids or the Black child.

It all happened very quickly. There was a stab of pain in her abdomen and she quickly cradled her stomach in her hands. She knew in that instant that something was dreadfully wrong. Her water had broken, very visible by the small puddle of water now forming on the floor below her. She gently dropped herself to her knees, her stomach in her arms, as tears began to form in her eyes.

It was too early. Her due date wasn't for two months. She was only at the end of her seventh month; she still had the eighth and ninth months left. At twenty-eight weeks, no matter how large she was, the baby wouldn't be ready.

She turned back to the fireplace. The red flames were still glowing. She cursed lightly under her breath. "Please, please," she whispered softly. "Not now. Ah!"

Her face contorted into a look of immense pain. She remembered contractions, but they seemed ten times worse than they had been when she had Logan. Tears streamed down her face as she kept turning to the fire. "Where are you, Remus?" she asked herself, and then she turned back to her stomach. "This can't be happen-ahh!" she groaned in pain.

She turned back to the fireplace as another contraction attacked her body. They were already close together. When the fireplace turned green, Lily thought she'd never seen a more beautiful occurrence in the world. Remus stepped out, his eyes widening at the sight of her. "Lily!" he exclaimed, running toward her. He took her in his arms and attempted to lift her, but she let out of gasp of pain.

"Remus," she cried. "The baby...he's coming; it's too early."

"We have to get you to St. Mungo's," Remus told her, lifting her into his arms.

She was breathing heavily. "What about Logan?" she whispered with fear in her voice.

"I'll get him after I bring you," he said. She closed her eyes. There was a resounding pop and Remus apparated with her. It felt odd to apparate, as she hadn't be able to since becoming pregnant in fear of splinching herself and harming the baby. When she opened her eyes, Remus was rushing her through a crowd of people walking down the London sidewalk from the apparation point. The bright light of St. Mungo's made her squint and she felt very tired. Everything seemed to be blurred. As she was laid on something soft, she could make out the shape of Remus's face. She reached up with her hand; she could feel the scars from his transformation.

"Get James and Logan," she heard herself say, but she didn't realize she was the one saying it. Her voice was only breath. "Tell James."

"I will," he told her quietly.

She closed her eyes, letting the darkness surround her. When she opened them, she saw the vague outline of a healer. Remus was gone. She closed her eyes once more, her eyelids heavy. She felt as if everything – her energy, her magic, her strength – was being drained from her body. Finding one ounce of strength, she opened one eye and saw a mediwitch cradling a small blur of white and black, but there was no cry. The room was silent. Her breathing became erratic and she closed her eyes once again, but this time, she slept.

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	46. Part II: Second Potter

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Part II: Second Potter

Lily opened her eyes and the stark whiteness of the room blinded her. She snapped her eyes shut, and blinked for a few moments before looking around the room. She was in the hospital, she knew that, but she couldn't remember why. Everything was a blur.

She put Logan in his crib. She waited for Remus. She looked outside at the Muggle children.

Her eyes widened. She went into labor. Quickly recovering from her shock, she looked down at her stomach and became increasingly scared when she noticed it was flat under a thin layer of sheets. There was definitely not a baby in there anymore. For a moment she thought she was going to hyperventilate. What had happened?

Turning to her right, she noticed James. He was sitting in a chair beside her, his head rested on his arms, which were on the bed. He seemed to be asleep. Lifting a weak hand, she stroked his head and he groaned. "Sirius, stop it!" he hissed.

"James," she whispered.

His head flew up. "Lily!" he exclaimed. He leaned over and kissed her hurriedly, as if he thought it was the last time he would ever see her. When he broke away, he rested his forehead on hers. "You're awake," he breathed. "Merlin, don't you ever do that to me again!"

"I'm sorry," she told him, her voice hoarse.

He frowned. "You have nothing to be sorry about," he said, leaning back and sitting in his chair. He calmed himself down and Lily saw what looked to be tearstains running down his cheeks. Taking a closer look, she could see purple circles under his eyes and knew immediately he hadn't slept in days. "I thought I was going to lose you. I was so scared."

"You have nothing to be scared about," Lily told him, but he shook his head.

"No, the healers…the healers, they said they didn't know if you were going to wake up," he said, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "They said it took too much energy and magic and…Merlin, I'm so glad you're okay."

Lily's mind wasn't on her own health. When James said _it_, she knew he meant the birth and her mind focused on that. "The baby," she said. "What about the baby? I didn't lose him, did I?"

James's face suddenly contorted from worriedly excited to an emotion Lily couldn't decipher. It was odd, almost as if he was eager to tell her something. "No, no, Lily. You did great," he said. "The baby's fine, but that's what's weird."

She frowned, wondering what could be weird about the baby being okay. She was thrilled inside. Thinking for a moment, she tried to come up with a reason as to why it could be weird. In the Muggle world, birth at twenty-eight weeks would be devastating, but she assumed being in the Wizarding world it wasn't a big deal. Seeing the confused look on James's face as he began the tale, she began to wonder whether this was her Muggleborn naivety working its magic once more.

"You see, Lils, premature births are rare in the Wizarding world," he started. "Sure, parents worry about it all the time, but it doesn't happen often. But, when it does, the consequences are…severe. The reason why most magical babies aren't premature is because they have magic in them that develops almost like the organs. It helps them."

He took a breath. "Usually, when a baby is born prematurely, the magic hasn't developed properly. They don't stand a chance because their magic is almost attacking them. They don't live more than a few days."

Lily looked up at him in confusion. "But, you said our baby was fine."

"Exactly," James said. "The healers have put some charms on him and are giving him potions. They didn't think he was going to survive, but it's been over a week and he's even starting to heal himself."

Lily glanced up at James. She didn't know what to say. Did he mean that the baby was using magic to heal himself, to develop properly outside the womb? She frowned; it had been more than a week since she had him and she hadn't been to see him yet. "I don't understand," she said quietly.

"Neither do the healers," James told her honestly. "He's not even that small – I mean, yeah, he's tiny, but not what you'd expect."

It was a surreal feeling for Lily, almost as if she wasn't truly living it, as if it were a dream. She looked around the room and thought of Logan. She'd missed his birthday and felt horribly guilty because of it. "Where's Logan?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Sirius and Michelle have him," James told her, a smile playing on his lips. "They get to test out parenthood, see how much harder it is when you can't give the kid back to its parents."

She nodded. "I want to see him. I want to see the baby, too."

"Okay," James said. "Sirius is going to bring Logan by today anyway, but I'll go get the healer so he can check you out. Then we can go see the baby."

James walked out of the room, leaving Lily to her thoughts. She didn't know what was going through her mind. Here she was, lying in a hospital bed after a birth that took so much energy out of her she slept for more than a week. But, all that mattered was that the baby was alright. When James had told her that the baby was fine, she had been so relieved. Now, she was able to meet the little one.

"Lily! It's great to see you awake."

She turned to the doorway and saw Healer Harrison with James. He walked forward and checked her over. After a few moments, he smiled warmly at her. "I don't want you doing anything overly strenuous," he said, "but, I don't think a trip to the nursery would do any harm."

"Thank you," she said, before looking up at James. "Take me."

James helped her walk down the hallway and at the end she could see a window. Inside were rows of cribs. She looked in, smiling at all the infants that would be in her son's year at Hogwarts. Little signs were placed on the outside of cribs saying things like "I'm Draco!" and "I'm Ernie!" Two identical little girls shared a crib and a sign that declared their names as Parvati and Padma. At the very end of one of the rows, Lily spotted a tiny baby boy, about half the size Logan had been, that she recognized immediately as her own.

The baby was resting on his back. He had black peach fuzz on his head, not nearly the tuft of hair Logan had had. His skin was redder and less flesh-toned than his older brother's. She could see some of the charms giving him a bluish hue around the mouth, helping him breathe, and a set of potions on the table behind his crib.

Curiosity getting to her, she looked down at the little sign hanging from his tiny crib. She wanted to see how big he was, but she quickly forgot about it when she noticed the name.

"Hi! I'm Jamison!" the sign read in blue ink. Underneath, it read his statistics and his birthday. She looked up at James and he smiled down at her, his hand inside the crib.

"You named him Jamison," she stated quietly.

He smiled sheepishly. "Well, the mediwitches were getting on me about a name and…at the time I thought that I might lose you and I knew that you really wanted that name. I thought, if I lost you, I could have something of yours that I could hold onto with him. I knew it would be _your_ name."

Lily was still staring at James in shock when a young mediwitch approached them. She smiled. "You must be Lily," she said, while using her wand to do something to Jamison. He blinked and fell back asleep, his legs giving a swift kick. "Just checking reflexes," she told them with a smile. "Congratulations, he's absolutely adorable."

"How's he doing?" James asked.

She gave them a warm smile. "He's still not as strong as we'd like him to be, but he's focusing a lot of his efforts on his growth. He's grown twice as much as we expected him to and plus he's also bigger than what we thought; he's gaining weight perfectly." She stroked the baby's arm. "His magic's brilliant though. No need to worry about this one being a squib."

When she walked away, writing something on a piece of parchment, Lily looked down at her son. She reached her hand in the crib to stoke his tiny arm. He opened his eyes and looked up at Lily, who smiled. "Hi, Jamison, I'm your mum," she said softly. "I know I'm new here, but I love you, sweetie."

She turned to James. "Has Logan met him?"

James chuckled. "Yeah," he said, his eyes still gazing down at the baby. "It's hilarious. He calls him Baby Jamie." He changed his voice so it sounded like his son's. "Baby Jamie! Baby Jamie!"

"He can say Jamie?" Lily asked, wondering what else she'd missed.

"Yeah," James nodded, and added on to it, knowing what she was thinking. "A few days ago, he started to say Remy and Michy. He has trouble with the l's."

Lily grinned, remembering how they used to call Michelle that same nickname when they had been at Hogwarts. She turned her attention back to the baby. "Jamie Potter," she whispered. "I like it."

"Me too," James said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"You know, the name Jamison fits him well," she said, looking up at James with a smile. "He's a fighter just like his daddy. He truly is the son of James."

James nodded, almost embarrassedly, and looked away from his son. "Let's get you back to bed," he said, carefully attempting to drag her away. "You need to rest, like Healer Harrison told you to."

She glanced into the crib and saw the baby inside had drifted back to sleep. "Bye, Jamie. Get strong for me, okay, sweetie?"

Turning away, she walked down the rows of cribs with James by her side. Once they walked out of the room, she heard a squeal of delight and she looked up smiling. At the end of the long hallway was Sirius and in his arms was Logan.

"Mummy!" Logan squealed happily, trying to reach out for her. Sirius kept a firm hold on him and as they approached, both James and Lily could see the smile on their faces to be ear to ear. "Mummy! Mummy!"

"Yep, Logan, that's Mummy, but you're going to stay right here with me, okay?" Sirius said, keeping his grip on the boy who was trying to get away. Sirius turned to Lily and smiled. "How you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Lily told him, nodding her head.

James rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to her! She's weak. She just woke up."

A bark of laughter filled the hallway. "Oh, Jamesie, you knew you picked the stubborn one!" he said, sounding more like a dog than a person. Logan looked at him with one eyebrow raised and James grabbed the little boy and began to tickle him.

"Daddy!" he screamed, trying to squirm out of his father's arms.

Lily laughed. "Sirius, James, this is a hospital! You two are going to get kicked out!"

Sirius shrugged, punching James lightly on the shoulder. "Well," he said, winking at his friend. "It won't be the first time the two of us got kicked out of somewhere. Right, James?" James smiled in response and Sirius took Logan from his father's arms. "Now, I'll take this little bugger, and you take Lils here back to bed."

"Sirius," Lily groaned, not wanting to go back to bed.

"That is not a request, it is an order," Sirius told her, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "Rest, relax. We can't have you freaking James out again."

Lily nodded. "How's Michelle?"

"Terrified about you, but," he smiled, "she'll be overjoyed, just like the rest of us, to find out that you're okay. You scared us."

"That's what James said," she told him. Logan was fidgeting in his arms, trying to reach out for his mother. She ran a hand through his hair and kissed his cheek. "I know you haven't seen me in forever, but you're going to have such a fun time with Uncle Sirius and Aunt Michelle that you won't even miss me."

Logan's blue eyes glazed over with tears. "Mummy bye-bye?"

Lily felt her heart break and tears fill her eyes. "Yeah," she said, tears in her voice. "Yeah, Mummy bye-bye, but not for long. Then we'll go home as a family."

He pointed to Lily. "Mummy," then he pointed to James, "Daddy," then himself, "'Ogan." He smiled. "Baby Jamie."

She found that she couldn't speak, so she bit her lip and nodded. Sirius smiled sadly and turned to his friends. "Get well soon, Lily," he said. He turned to Logan. "Come on; let's go teach you how to ride that broom I got you."

"You got him a broom?" Lily asked.

Sirius nodded. "I promised him I'd get him one for his first birthday," he said. "It's just a little toy broom, doesn't go a foot or two off the ground. No need to worry."

Lily stood in the hallway watching Sirius walk away with Logan. The little black haired boy smiled back at her and squeezed his hand together, signaling goodbye. She leaned into James. "I've missed so much," she said quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

And, for once, it seemed that James didn't know what to say.

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**Okay, I know a lot of you are going to be like – um, what about Harry? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but, as this is AU, things can happen and Harry just may resurface yet.**

**Oh, and I took some liberties with the newborns. I know that Draco's birthday is June 5 in the series, and I made up that the Patil's and Ernie Macmillian were born in June as well.**

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	47. Part II: Sirius Prejudice

**Alright, I know it's short, but I needed to get something up. Thus, this chapter.**

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Part II: Sirius Prejudice

The healers allowed Lily to leave St. Mungo's by the week's end, but were requiring little Jamie to stay until he had the size and strength of a normal newborn. He grew quickly, though, leaving the healers shocked by his progress and his visible magical ability. But, even so, the healers had told Lily and James not to expect him home before the end of June or the beginning of July. "That may even be optimistic," Healer Harrison told them.

This gave Lily and James a chance to help Logan adjust to having to share the attention of his parents. Lily knew from the attitude of her sister that bringing home a new baby could be a very hard thing for a young child. They showered him with attention but also made sure that he knew once the baby came home that things were going to change a bit. Logan didn't seem to mind, but Lily had to wonder whether that would change once Jamie was actually brought into the picture.

It wasn't until the end of July, around the time he would have been born, that they were allowed to bring Jamie home.

The neighbors, of course, thought he was absolutely adorable – just as they had with Logan before him. They cooed and coddled him. They walked over just to see him and even gave him presents on occasion. "He doesn't even look like a preemie," Mrs. Williams said, causing Lily to smile.

At two months old, Jamie looked like a newborn Logan. He had a small tuft of black hair on his head and what was beginning to look like James's facial shape. The only difference she could see between Logan and Jamie were their eyes. Logan's were bright blue, her father's eyes, his namesake's eyes. Jamie's, which had been newborn blue at birth, had slowly changed and were now, much like hers, almond shaped emerald orbs. James had grinned.

"I'm glad he has your eyes," he had said, holding the tiny baby in his arms while Lily fed Logan in their first days of being a true family.

And, as she anticipated, Logan had been slightly jealous. When James held Jamie, Logan was right there, holding his arms out to be held as well. When Jamie cried and Lily went to check on him, Logan's eyes filled with tears as well and he whined and moaned until she came back to him. Suddenly, Lily respected Molly Weasley, who had six boys compared to Lily's two. She could only imagine how exhausting it would be to have six - especially with a set of mischievous twins.

One day, after she'd put Logan down for his nap and checked on a sleeping Jamie, there was a crash that erupted from the living room. She groaned and walked down stairs, wondering what James had done, but when she arrived, she noticed it wasn't James making the noise, but Sirius. A broken vase was on the floor and Lily shrugged at Sirius's 'I'm sorry' expression. It had been a gift from Petunia a few years prior and she had never really liked it. The vase had been rather ugly after all.

Sirius collapsed onto the couch and groaned into the pillow. James, who had been outside from the looks of his windswept hair, stepped beside Lily and sent her a questioning look. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know," she told him in all honesty.

James nodded and stepped forward. "Hey, Siri, what's up?" he asked, standing over the man on the couch.

Sirius rolled over, his hands finding the back of his head, and he sighed. "I don't know why I did this," he muttered so quietly Lily could barely hear him from her position by the door. "I'm going to be a horrible father."

"No, you're not," James said.

"I'm a Black!" Sirius exclaimed. "I shouldn't reproduce! I should've just let the bloody name die out! I mean, it would have. I'm the only one who can pass down the name!"

There was a silence and James knelt down to be at eyelevel with his best friend. "What happened?" he asked, reaching forward to take Sirius's shoulder in his hand. "Come on, you can tell me."

"I ran into my mother in Diagon Alley today."

Lily had never met Walburga Black, but from what Sirius had told her, she didn't think she wanted to. She was a mad woman and, while not a Death Eater, believed wholeheartedly in Voldemort's cause. Walburga was a pureblooded supremacist who had disowned her son for actually being decent, - at least, decent in Lily's eyes. But, Walburga was alone now, with her husband and Regulus both dead and Sirius not really her son, and – as much as Lily disliked her – she felt somewhat saddened by the thought of the poor woman cooped up in her home by herself.

"Oh, Sirius," James sighed, leaning against the couch. "What'd she do?"

Sirius closed his eyes for a moment and the only way she could tell he was alive was by the movements of his chest. He spoke softly, not opening his eyes. "She found out about the baby," he said. "And, do you want to know what she said?" He didn't pause to allow James to answer. "She goes, 'I hope it's a boy that's everything you weren't, a proper, pureblooded, _Slytherin_ Black.'"

His eyes remained closed as he relayed the scene that was replaying in his head for James and Lily. "She said she was actually pleased that I married Michelle." His voice contorted once more into his mother's high-pitched squeal. "'At least she's a pureblood and not that awful Mudblood redhead,'" he turned to Lily and opened his eyes, displaying his gray-blue eyes, "no offence, her words not mine."

Lily shook her head, knowing he didn't think that way, as he leaned back, keeping his eyes opened this time. "Oh, we got in a right row, we did," he said with a smile. "We got kicked out of Flourish and Blotts for being so loud, arguing about blood purity and how I'm disgracing the Black name. Called you 'a blood traitor rubbish of a wizard' and said she hated you for making me decide to be a Gryffindor, James."

James smiled at this, but it didn't quite reach his eyes as he watched his friend close his eyes once more. "But she always gets the last word," he muttered. "She told me that the baby would always have a home at number twelve if I kicked it out for being a Slytherin. Said that just because I was a bad egg didn't mean I couldn't have a 'decent, respectable' child that knew what was really important in life."

There was a moment of silence before Sirius leaned on his side, looking James in the eye with fear in his features. "I don't know what to do," he whispered. "My parents were awful and I'm going to be just like them. James, I hated my parents; I don't want my kid to hate me, too."

"Sirius, your kid is going to love you. I mean, who wouldn't want Sirius Black as a father?" James exclaimed, trying to talk sense into his friend.

"I wouldn't," Sirius hissed, pushing himself to a sitting position. "This is exactly what I was afraid of when I married Michelle. Any kids I have won't be like your kids, the precious Potter sons. Mine will be Blacks and will constantly have to prove their loyalties when everyone expects them to be just like Bellatrix, just like Regulus, just like my mother," he sneered.

He was glaring at the floor. "Growing up as a Black is the worst thing you can put on a child's shoulders, and what did I do?" he asked rhetorically. "I did just that!"

"Sirius," Lily said, walking forward from her spot in the doorway. "Everyone knows your loyalties and will know your kids have the same as you. It will be different for them."

"I wish you were right, Lily," he told her. His eyes were wet and Lily thought back to the only time she'd ever seen him cry, back when Michelle nearly died, back when people were blaming him for her injuries. "But, prejudice…it never dies."

She turned to give James and Sirius room to talk and then walked into the kitchen. She sat at the table and sighed. She didn't know what to say to that because she knew it was true. There were no lies she could tell because she'd be lying to herself as well. She knew because there were prejudices against muggleborns like her, just as there were prejudices against Sirius for being a Black.

This was why they had to win the war now. They needed end the prejudices. But, deep in her heart, she knew they would never end, no matter how hard they tried. Shaking her head, she knew Sirius was right.

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**Yep, just a short, kind of bittersweet, filler chapter. I hope you liked it. I'll try to post again soon, but I'm going to Connecticut and Pennsylvania to look at colleges and I don't know what kind of time I'll have. Hopefully, I'll post again before Sunday. I'll try really hard ****:)**

**Reviews help me write faster…**


	48. Part II: Baby Black

**Okay, first off, yes I am a hypocrite and I hate it. I told you all that reviews made me write faster and what do I do? I make you wait more than a week for the next chapter. I am dreadfully sorry.**

**Second off, I have an excuse (not a very good one, but let me try it out!) Okay, so, as I said in my last author's note, I went college hunting and therefore couldn't write it. Then, when I finally sat down, I think I spent longer trying to figure out the name to this baby (as you can see from the title of the chapter, we're introducing a certain Black – sorry about the spoiler, but I think you all knew it was coming) that Sirius and Michelle would have. I knew the first name, and then I tried to pick the perfect middle name (I had 26 picked out and finally went with my first choice – funny how that works, huh?).**

**Alright, enough about me! Enjoy!

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Part II: Baby Black

August was appearing to be a good month for the Order. It all started off with Igor Karkaroff finally being caught by Moody and imprisoned in Azkaban. Moody had been focused on catching Karkaroff for months – six to be exact – and it took the burden off of everyone's shoulders now that it was done. It was, all together, a quiet month for Death Eater activity. Quiet, Lily found, was a relative term.

Sirius and James would go out on missions together for the Order and, when they returned, would fill in their wives on what it was like. Sometimes they would be gone for hours, other times days, and the missions were always top secret.

Lily spent her time at home, for the most part, caring for her boys and feeling like a complete nuisance to the Order for her lack of work. But, she enjoyed spending time with the boys. Jamie was growing wonderfully, the healers still baffled by his progress, and Logan had adopted "no" as his favorite word.

He would toddle behind her wherever she went. One day she asked if he would pass her Jamie's blanket. "No," had been the response, but when she looked down to ask again, Logan was holding the blanket out to her.

It seemed so normal, especially surrounded by Muggle neighbors who knew nothing of the horrors of the Wizarding World. Lily found herself envious of the Muggles at times. The Muggles never seemed to notice how there were always dark clouds looming over head. They never noticed the mounting death tolls. They never realized that the boarded up shops weren't because the owner failed to pay the rent but because the owner couldn't man the store any longer, whether it be that he was dead or that he feared to be attacked.

And, Lily found that for the first time in her life, even if it was only for a brief moment before she scolded herself for thinking such a thought, she wished it had been Petunia who'd been the witch.

But, amongst the awful times that they found themselves in, there were also a handful of happy times.

"Lily?"

Her eyes blinked open as summer sun filled the bedroom. She could feel James's hand on her shoulder, his head close to hers so he could whisper in her ear. Turning to look into his hazel eyes, Lily smiled up at him. "Yes, James?"

"Sirius just flooed," he told her. She expected him to say more, but he just continued to smile.

Then, it dawned on her. "Was the baby born?"

He nodded. "He said we can go see our god_daughter_ whenever we like," he said with a broad grin. "He wouldn't tell me her name though."

"Get the boys ready and we'll go," she said while attempting to roll out of bed. James had her pinned though and he leaned down to kiss her before running off to wake the boys.

Lily quickly dressed and stood at her window, admiring the white sunlight that seemed to overtake Godric's Hollow. Once she heard Logan's squeals and a small _pitter-patter_ of feet in the hallway, followed by a cry from Jamie, she exited the room. It was an interesting sight: Logan running around excitedly, as if he had forgotten all the jealousy he felt when Jamie was born, and James running after him, trying to decide whether to tend to Logan or Jamie – who was crying in his crib – first.

She walked forward and patted James's shoulder before walking into the baby's room and gently picking Jamie up from his crib. "Good morning, Sweetheart," she whispered, reaching for the clothes James had already set aside. She rolled her eyes at the sight of the Caerphilly Catapults quidditch onesie. Nonetheless, she put him in it because the light green strips matched his eyes.

"Daddy! No!"

Lily walked out of the room with Jamie in her arms. James had Logan pinned to the ground, tickling the poor boy as his feet kicked and his face held a permanent smile. Lily cleared her throat and James smiled up at her. "Ready to go?"

She nodded and they brought the boys down the stairs, quickly feeding them before walking into the living room. Lily went first with Jamie, taking the floo powder in her hands and clearly stating her destination. She waited outside the St. Mungo's fireplace for James. He walked out with Logan, who was still full of energy. Jamie was watching his brother bounce down the halls with curiosity.

One of the doors ahead of them opened and Remus walked out. He smiled at the small family. "She's really cute," he told them, his eyes tired. The full moon was approaching in less than a week and it was already beginning to take its toll on his body.

He walked passed them, obviously off to get some much needed sleep in preparation for the long string of days to come. James pushed open the door and stuck his head in, reminding Lily of Sirius when Logan had been born.

"Get in here, you git!" came Sirius's voice through the crack in the door. "You're blocking Lily and the boys!"

The door swung open and they walked in, James keeping a firm hold on Logan. The first thing Lily saw when she walked in was Sirius, gently holding a pink bundle of blankets in his arms, displaying the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face. Lily took the seat beside Michelle's bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Tired," Michelle replied with a smile. "But, glad."

"I know how you feel," Lily told her before looking up at James and Sirius, who were both looking down at the little girl in amazement and wonderment.

"Alright, alright," James said, turning away from the baby and to Michelle. "What'd you two name this little girl?"

Michelle looked up at Sirius expectantly and he smiled at the group. "This is Kaida Evangeline Black," Sirius announced, looking back down at his daughter.

"That is very pretty," Lily commented. "How did you two come up with it?"

"Well, we didn't want anything French," Michelle started.

"Or any constellations," Sirius added.

"And we wanted something that was elegant and not ordinary, but not too odd. We looked at some lists and we both liked Katie, so we tried to find something that wasn't as common, and found Kaida," Michelle told them. "Then, Sirius actually came up with Evangeline."

James laughed for a second. "I'm shocked! Sirius Black coming up with a pretty name like Evangeline? I would have thought you'd name her Elvendork."

Sirius glared at James for a brief moment. "I was young!" he exclaimed. "Now I'm twenty years old and I realize that Elvendork, while it _is_ unisex, isn't a name you give to your daughter – especially one as cute as mine!"

The two exploded into a fit of laughter, leaving Lily and Michelle to look at each other in confusion. "I don't think I want to know," Michelle said, shaking her head.

"Me neither," Lily agreed.

Michelle looked at Jamie, who had fallen asleep in Lily's arms, and smiled. "They'll be going to Hogwarts together. I bet they'll be the best of friends."

"How can they not?" Lily asked. "A Black and a Potter – those poor professors!"

"Oh, I know!" Michelle exclaimed. "Maybe they'll be like us and actually abide by the rules." Lily raised her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe not!"

Lily turned toward James and Sirius, but suddenly became aware of something besides the two men. She looked around for Logan, who she thought was by her side. She couldn't see him and she became increasingly worried until she noticed the little boy standing behind James's legs, his eyes locked on Michelle.

Sighing, she knew exactly what was going through her son's head. The last time there had been a new baby Lily hadn't woken up and slept in bed for a week. Logan, seeing Michelle in the bed and hearing there was a new baby, assumed the same thing was going to happen to her.

"Logan, come here," she said softly. The little boy hid even further behind his father's legs. He shook his head. "Logan, it's okay. Michelle's okay."

James and Sirius stopped their conversations upon hearing Lily's voice. James turned around to see Logan behind him. He picked up his son and began to walk over to the bedside. Logan wrapped his arms around James's neck and buried his face in his father's shoulder.

"Logan," Michelle said, rubbing his back because his face was still pressed into James's shirt and he wasn't willing to look at her. "I'm perfectly fine, Sweetie," she told him.

He finally turned away from his father to look at her. There were tears in his blue eyes and he eyed Michelle with suspicion, as if she'd fall asleep and never wake up right before his eyes.

"Okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "I'm just fine. No need to worry."

He looked skeptical and kept his grip on James. As James took a seat and the two tried to convince Logan that what happened to Lily wouldn't happen to Michelle, Lily stood and walked to Sirius. He was watching the scene between his wife, best friend, and godson, and rocking his sleeping daughter.

She looked down at the little bundle and smiled. Little Kaida Black looked peaceful lying in her father's arms. She had a small amount of blonde peach fuzz on the top of her head, her eyelids closed tightly over what she assumed were newborn blue eyes, and a tiny button nose that she could already see resembling Sirius's. Unlike her boys who looked just like James, Kaida seemed to be a complete mix between her parents' appearances.

"She's absolutely adorable, Sirius," Lily said, shifting Jamie in her arms.

He smiled. "She looks like her mother," he replied.

"Hey," Lily argued. "I can see you in there, too!"

"I suppose you're right," he said, turning to look at her. "You always are."

"Are you two going to teach them to be Marauders?" Lily asked, looking from Jamie to Kaida.

Sirius laughed quietly. "Nah, we don't need to teach them. It's genetic! All the damage has been done already. They'll get themselves into trouble one way or another."

"I'm not sure Hogwarts can handle another set," she teased. "At least, not another pranking duo like James and Sirius."

"They better not beat my detention record is all I have to say," he winked.

Jamie opened his eyes and looked over at Kaida in curiosity. Lily smiled at his reaction. "Jamie, this is Kaida," she said softly, as if her two-and-a-half month old could understand what she was saying. "You two are going to be good friends."

He continued to look at Kaida for a little longer before yawning and glancing up at his mother. His line of vision went from Sirius to Kaida then back to his mother. He closed his eyelids over his emerald orbs, satisfied with what he'd learned and ready to sleep once more.

Before long, James was beside her and the two were ready to go home. They waved, leaving the new little family together in the room while guiding Logan through the door, Jamie still sleeping in Lily's arms.

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**So there we are! Baby Black has finally graced us with her presence! What'd you think of the chapter?**

**Also, there won't be as much of a wait in between this chapter and the next – I promise!**

**Oh, and a little something behind Kaida's name. Kaida means "Little Dragon" and I picked this because it shows the similarities that can't be changed between Sirius and his family. Just a little fun thing to put in there because Draco (which is Sirius's, what, second cousin?) means "Dragon" – take that as you want.**

**And Evangeline, aside from being just an overall pretty and elegant name, means "Messenger of good news" – just a little something for you to think about. **

**One more thing, for those of you who don't know, Elvendork comes from the Harry Potter Prequel (if you haven't read it, I suggest you do so, it's brilliant! You can find it by searching Google.)  
**

**Wow, long author's note again…**

**Review!**


	49. Part II: To 1981

**Sorry for the wait. Here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews as always!  
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**Also, I must warn you, there's a big jump in time from January 1981 to July 1981. Most of this chapter happens in July. I'll explain the jump in time at the bottom.

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Part II: To 1981

For the first time since she left Hogwarts, time flew by exceedingly quickly for Lily. She watched her sons grow before her eyes, looking more and more alike, and more and more like James each day. Lily stayed at home to care for the two growing boys while James went out with the Order. He and Sirius would come home telling stories of fighting Death Eaters and how dark their world had become.

This made Lily happy living in the small village of Godric's Hollow. Here, there was no storm cloud overhead every day. Surrounded by oblivious Muggles who cooed over and coddled her two boys, Lily felt safe. She felt that she could watch her children grow up and not be afraid for their wellbeing every moment of the day.

But, the _Daily Prophet_, as well as James, brought the horrid details into Lily's world. September brought the capture of Death Eater Antonin Dolohov, who was sent off to Azkaban by the Ministry of Magic. In October, Aurors killed Death Eaters Rosier and Wilkes. It was in these times that Lily, who knew Aurors and not just Death Eaters were being killed, wondered how long it would be before people she knew had their face in the obituaries, until a member of the Order took his or her last breath.

And, as in times of strife, there were also wondrous moments as well. Millicent Bagnold took over as Minister of Magic in November, which the Order found pleasing. The Marauders were able to celebrate the New Year together and Lily remembered standing in the doorway with Michelle watching the four men laughing and sharing stories over Firewhiskey as Logan, Jamie, and Kaida slept peacefully upstairs. It was the first time the four had been in the same room together, all four, in a long time.

When January hit that night, at midnight like every other year, Lily felt a cool breeze enter the open window that Peter had opened just moments before. She walked over and closed it, knowing the window shouldn't be open in January. She thought back on the war and thought that perhaps 1981 would be the end. But, she didn't know, as she had thought the same thing last year.

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"As any fool can see, the Death Eaters have the upper hand!" Alastor Moody yelled, hitting his fist to the table at the Hog's Head in mid-July, 1981. "Twenty to one! That's the ratio now, twenty to one!"

"Yes," Albus Dumbledore replied calmly, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, unfortunately you are correct, Alastor."

Silence swept over the room and Lily looked up. The Order of the Phoenix appeared to be at a standstill. No one knew what to do anymore, not with Voldemort collecting the vast numbers he was. They would continue to fight, that was for sure, but their chances…their chances were not good, especially if Dumbledore's suspicion of horcruxes was true. She turned to the corner attempting to get away from the horror of the group and smiled. Sirius had brought along his cousin's daughter, Nymphadora Tonks, to watch the children in a small playpen while the Order meeting was in session.

The eight year old Metamorphmagus was keeping the kids entertained by changing her hair color and the shape of her nose. Logan, who was now two, and Frank and Alice Longbottom's son Neville seemed the most interested in it. Logan would laugh and point, telling her, "Do dog!" or "Do cat!" or "Purple hair!" and Neville, who wasn't quite a year old, would clap. Across the small play area, Jamie had a toy dragon that roared when he stopped playing with it to watch Kaida. The eleven month old girl sat by herself, independently playing with a small stuffed dog that moved and looked similar to Padfoot.

Lily heard chairs shuffling and she looked away from the children. The Order members had been dismissed, the meeting finished. Peter hurried out of the room, first to leave, followed by Moody, who was complaining to Hagrid about not being able to trust anyone.

Sirius walked over to the playpen and gently lifted Kaida out, kissing her forehead. "Daddy," she said happily.

"Come on, Nymphie, got to get you back to Andromeda before she kills me," he said to his cousin's daughter.

The girl stood her ground, her hair a bright shade of red. "For the last time, Sirius," she hissed. "I am going by Tonks! I hate my name!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and took the girl's shoulder in his free hand. "Oh, boo hoo," he said, leading her out. "I hated my name, too. Do you know how many jokes you can come up with having the name Sirius? After a while, it all got very annoying."

"I know, Siriusly," James joked, passing Sirius to get to Jamie and Logan. He received an eyebrow raise and a stuffed dog to the head in response. Kaida looked up at her father angrily. She didn't like having her dog snatched away from her and thrown at her godfather.

As the group walked out, James and Sirius were talking about informing Remus on the events of the meeting, as he was recovering from the full moon two nights before. Lily walked with Michelle, but spotted a cloaked figure outside of the Hog's Head, as if he were waiting for someone.

"Three Broomsticks, anyone?" James asked.

Suddenly, Jamie began to squirm in her arms and pressed his face into her shoulder. She told the group she would meet them there and walked back into the Hog's Head, so she could check and see if Jamie needed to be changed. Entering the bathroom, she closed the door and frowned when she noticed Jamie was perfectly fine.

"Merlin, he looks just like Potter," came a hiss from behind her.

Lily spun around, clutching Jamie to her chest. Upon seeing who it was, she glared. "Severus!" she hissed back. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he muttered, walking forward and looking down at the toddler. "He has your eyes."

"I know," she told him. "What are you doing here?"

He shuffled his feet and leaned against a wall. He looked up at her, his eyes calculating, as if he was trying to figure out what to say, or if he was going to say anything. Finally, he nodded to himself, and sighed. "He thinks the prophecy may mean you."

"What?" Lily asked, shaking her head. "What prophecy?"

Snape snorted and shook his head. "Dumbledore hasn't spoken of it yet? He's keeping you all even more in the dark than I originally thought."

"Severus," she demanded. "What prophecy?"

Taking another breath, he turned around and looked out the door, which was still opened a crack. He closed it and turned to look at Lily with black eyes. "There was a prophecy made about a year and a half ago speaking of the child that would have the power to destroy the Dark Lord."

Lily closed her eyes, not willing herself to accept what Snape was saying. When she opened her eyes again, ready to ask how it could possibly be her, Snape continued. "It was cryptic and we thought it meant the child would be born at the end of July to parents who had defied him three times."

"Jamie was born in May," Lily told him matter-of-factly.

"The prophecy said that the child would be born as the seventh month died," Snape drawled, not giving her a chance to think. "You're son was born early, almost eight months along but not quite, am I right?"

Lily was about to argue when she felt her stomach drop. They hadn't told anyone the specifics of Jamie's birth. In the darkness of the times they were in, Lily and James had agreed to not tell anyone, not even Dumbledore, how early the baby was. They had barely told anyone the due date, so it wasn't that big of a deal. The only people who had been told were the people who knew everything – Sirius, Michelle, Remus, and Peter.

"How did Voldemort find out?" she asked, but she didn't need him to answer. She already knew what this meant. The spy, the spy within the Order, was one of those four people. "But, more importantly, why are you telling me this?"

Snape looked up, a frown on his features. "I went to Dumbledore. I told him the Dark Lord's theories, but he still believes this powerful child is the Longbottom brat. He thinks that Dark Lord is missing part of the prophecy, the part about the seventh month." He shook his head. "And the Dark Lord is content thinking he'll be able to wipe the Potters, especially that child, off the face of the earth right under Dumbledore's nose."

Lily shook her head. It was too much to take in. "Do you know who…?" she asked, but the words died on her lips.

"No," Snape said. "I don't know who the spy is, or I swear, Lily, I would tell you."

"I know, Severus," Lily replied, looking down at her son. She couldn't believe Voldemort could want to kill such an innocent child. Jamie looked up at her with his bright green eyes and she turned away, unable to look at him.

Snape stepped closer to them and stared into her eyes with fear. "You have to protect yourself. This is why I told you." Then, he turned his back and Lily thought she heard him say, "I can't lose you twice."

Opening the door, Snape slipped out quietly, leaving Lily and Jamie to themselves. She walked to the door and looked out, but Severus was gone. She bit her lip and continued out of the bathroom. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Frank and Alice leaving, looking distraught, with Dumbledore behind them.

"Ah, Lily!"

She turned and smiled at her old potions professor, Horace Slughorn. He was walking toward her, jovial as always when he saw one of his pupils. "Professor?" she asked. "It's summer holidays; what are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Just meeting with a few friends, is all," he told her before looking down at the one year old in her arms. "My, he does look like James, doesn't he," he stated. Jamie shyly hid his face in Lily's shoulder, not the social butterfly like his older brother. "Lucky boy, though. He's got your eyes."

"Yes, he does," Lily replied. "Perhaps you'll be able to teach him, if you're still there in ten years."

"Unfortunately, I'm already gone," Slughorn said, patting the boy gently on the head. "I am officially retired from the post of Potions Master. In fact, Severus Snape has taken the job. I actually put your name in, but Albus said you wouldn't want it, and I very much agree after thinking. You can't be tied to Hogwarts, too special, too talented. Besides, Snape will do."

Lily smiled, now knowing where she could find Severus if she ever needed him. "I'm sure he will."

"Boy's already up to Hogwarts," Slughorn continued. "Don't have the foggiest why! School doesn't begin for another month and a half but he says he wants to get ready – for what, I don't know."

"I'm sure he's just nervous," Lily said, although she did wonder, much like Slughorn. She had always liked Horace Slughorn; he was, after all, her favorite teacher, as well as the professor of her favorite subject. "I should be getting back to James, Sirius, and Michelle before they worry. It was good seeing you, Professor."

Slughorn nodded, and Lily couldn't help notice he looked a little pained by her impending departure. "Yes, and you," he stated, his voice wavering, as if he'd never see her again. "Tell them I said hello," he added. "James and Sirius were always clever boys, although I do wish Sirius had been in my house – I would have liked the set, you know. Terrible pity what happened to Regulus, so talented."

Lily smiled and turned, knowing if she didn't leave Slughorn would never let her.

"Oh and, Lily?"

She turned to find Slughorn still standing where he had been. He grinned. "I still have Francis."

Smiling broader, she walked out into the summer heat and looked down at Jamie, her stomach clenching. She needed to find James. She needed to tell him what Severus had told her.

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**Slughorn has become my favorite character to write, he's just so consumed with his collection. I loved him in the books, and in the movie he was brilliant. Also, I know Francis wasn't in the books, but I couldn't resist putting it in. So, if you haven't seen the movie, I highly suggest you do – that part was one of my favorites.**

**There was some pretty heavy foreshadowing to the fact that Pettigrew's the traitor (just in case you've all been stuck under a rock and haven't noticed the scum that he is in the books or the movies).**

**Also, I know it is a pretty big jump between the beginning and the end of this chapter, but I have this timeline I've made out and nothing really happened in 1981 that really concerned us until the middle of July. This is where all the action starts and I hope it came out alright.**

**Review!**


	50. Part II: The Plan

**Okay, so I don't know how many of you watched Harper's Island (probably none), but I was watching a YouTube video recently and was like – wow, Jimmy (portrayed by C.J. Thomason) could be Sirius…random thought for the day.**

**Also, thanks for the reviews! Wonderful as always! This wasn't up as fast as I would have liked, but I wanted to make sure the emotions of this chapter were right.**

**Enjoy!

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Part II: The Plan

Lily stood at the doorway to the living room watching James sit by the fireplace. He stared into the flames, as if believing that someone would enter their home, someone unexpected. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, knowing what had to be done.

She knew James wouldn't like the fact that she had spoken to Severus Snape. James hated Snape above all else and her speaking to him would go over very badly with her husband. But, perhaps when he heard about what Snape had said, he wouldn't explode quite as much; perhaps he wouldn't yell quite so loud.

"James?" she asked, leaning into the door frame and crossing her hands over her chest. He turned to her with his hazel eyes clouded with worry. Even though the meeting had been many days before, the words still settled in his head - twenty to one, a huge disadvantage for the Order.

"What is it, Lily?"

It was in that moment that she almost didn't tell him. A simple "never mind" was already forming on her lips, but she needed to tell him.

She walked over and sat down beside him on the couch, taking his hand in hers. It was rough, callused from fighting and brandishing his wand on so many occasions. She turned to him and found fear flooding his eyes. He was scared by her actions, but she couldn't comfort him because she was too terrified to put on a brave face, although she was trying.

What Severus had told her had now fully sunk in. Voldemort was after her son, her one year old son. Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard of the time, wanted to kill a baby because he believed the child had the abilities to destroy him while Dumbledore thought the child was Neville Longbottom.

Truthfully, Lily hoped it was Neville Longbottom as well, but she would never say those words aloud.

"Lily," James pressed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "What is it?"

She curled up at his side and he pulled her into his lap. While wrapping her arms around his neck, she realized this was something they hadn't done since they were in Hogwarts, scared after the attack on Hogsmeade where they had escaped Voldemort for the first time. She leaned her head on his shoulder, blinking a few times before starting her tale.

"James, I ran into Severus Snape in Hogsmeade," she whispered, so quietly she was unsure whether he heard her or not.

That is, until she felt his grip tighten, his chest constrict, and his muscles clench. He looked down at her, a small amount of rage fighting the fear for space in his eyes. "Did he hurt you?" he hissed. "Because if he did I will kill him."

She shook her head. "No," she breathed, wondering if it was a lie. Severus hadn't hurt her physically, but his words had terrified her. "He didn't hurt me."

They were quiet for a moment. Lily looked up at James and saw him waiting patiently, wondering what had happened between her and Snape. "He told me something."

He sighed and pulled her closer to him. "Well, let's hear it," he said, although his tone told her he wouldn't believe a word of it because it had come out of the mouth of a Death Eater.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to the fireplace so she didn't have to look into James's eyes. "He said Voldemort knows of a prophecy that was made a year and a half ago. It spoke of a boy who would be able to defeat him." She paused for a moment and turned up to him. His eyes were twinkling in anticipation at the prospect of the war ending. "Don't get excited yet," she warned.

James nodded, his eyes immediately darkening. "What's the catch?"

"The boy would be born as the seventh month died to parents who have defied Voldemort three times," she replied, her voice hardly louder than a whisper. "At first Voldemort thought the seventh month meant July, but now he's not so sure."

James closed his eyes and when he opened them again he was glaring at the flames of the fireplace. She knew she didn't need to explain it to him; he already knew what she was implying. Instead, in a voice similar to that of a snake, he asked, "How?"

Out of context, _how_ could mean many different things and this thought made Lily wish she didn't know what was going on. But, she did, and therefore she knew that _how_ meant how Voldemort found out about Jamie's unusual birth. "We didn't tell anyone!" James hissed suddenly, clearly frightened as his body fell limp. "We didn't even tell Dumbledore!"

"I know," Lily replied softly, untangling herself from James's arms, which were only loosely wrapped around her. His face fell into his hands. Then, she stood and nearly broke down at the sight of him. "The spy-"

"No!" James interrupted, shaking his head and looking up at her pleadingly. He was breathing heavily as his entire world crashed down around him, and Lily could do nothing but watch and cause more pain onto him. She felt tears forming in her own eyes as she thought about what she had to say.

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her emotions in check so she could be brave while James came to terms with what was happening. "Severus said the spy is one of us. He thinks Sirius or Remus," she started tearfully, but James quickly stopped her.

"No," he forced out angrily. "It's not them!" He shook his head vigorously. "How do we know that Snape isn't just trying to get you all wound up? He_ is_ a Death Eater after all!"

Lily turned around to look out the window at the night sky. She had thought about this, but came to the realization that Severus Snape was doing this for her well being. He wanted to protect her, as he always had, and she couldn't ignore the warning he was giving her if she could protect her family with it. He was risking his life by alerting her to Voldemort's plans.

"I trust him, James," she said, wrapping her arms across her body and not looking at him.

He scoffed behind her. "I don't," came the blunt reply.

"He said he would tell me if he knew who the spy was. He swore!" she cried, trying to make James see that Snape wanted to help her.

He looked up at her with a hardened expression. "Was it an unbreakable vow?" James asked. When she shook her head, he frowned. "Then, it's just empty promises."

"I believe he wants to protect me," Lily said, turning around to face him. His eye caught hers and they looked at each other for a moment before she spoke again. "And if he wants to protect me than I can use his hints to protect Jamie."

James shook his head. "Unless he's lying."

"You're being unreasonable!" Lily exclaimed, knowing that he wasn't. She had struggled with the same feelings, knowing that one of their friends had turned to Voldemort. "I know it's hard, but it all makes sense! The spy must be one of our friends because they are the only ones who know about Jamie besides us. There is no other way for Voldemort to find out."

She sighed and sat down in one of the chairs by the window. "As much as I don't want to believe one of our friends is feeding Voldemort information from the Order, I have to protect Jamie and Logan," she whispered. "I can't sit around and do nothing while Voldemort wants to kill our son."

There was a long pause. James didn't say anything in response and instead looked down at the floor. Lily waited for him to answer, letting everything sink in. After what seemed like hours of silence, James looked up slowly. "What do we do?"

This is where Lily had always gotten stumped when she attempted to think after James had gone to bed. What was there to do? They could tell Dumbledore the truth about Jamie so he knew the prophesied child wasn't necessarily Neville Longbottom. Finally finding her voice, she asked, "What is there to do?"

James ran a hand through his hair. "Well, we need to find out who the spy is," he said quietly, his face contorting with his feelings, ranging from upset to angry to betrayed. "And, when we do, we need to get the traitor away from the boys."

The gears began to work in his head and Lily could nearly see them. It was almost as if they were back at Hogwarts again and he was figuring out a prank to pull on the Slytherins. He closed his eyes and began to mutter to himself. Then, his eyes snapped open and he looked at her.

"What?" she asked.

He smiled sadly. "We'll just have to see how loyal to you Severus Snape truly is," he said softly. "I have an idea."

Lily stood from her seat and walked to James. He looked up at her and took her hand. "What would you expect someone to do if he was being chased?" Lily didn't know what he was getting at, so she just furrowed her brow and he continued. "He would go into hiding, right?"

"You want us to go into hiding?" Lily asked. She was confused for a moment. "Like, leave the country?"

James shook his head. "No. If Voldemort's after us, we're going to need to go into deep hiding and running away is going to do nothing. He'll be able to find us. Instead," he said, standing up and walking to a book shelf. He scanned the bindings and, finding the book he was looking for, pulled one out. He skimmed the pages and then brought it back to Lily.

She took it in her hands and looked down. "The Fidelius Charm," she read. She'd heard of it before, back in her NEWT level charms class. She had actually thought about it. "James, this is complex magic. Plus, we'd need a Secret Keeper and at the moment we don't know who to trust."

"If Snape is telling the truth," James said, taking the book back and closing it, "he will tell you who the spy is."

"I don't see how going under the Fidelius Charm will help us find the spy," Lily replied. "Honestly, it seems a bit risky."

James set the book down on the table and took her shoulders in his hands. "We wouldn't go under it until we knew it was safe and who to trust, but we would pretend."

Lily's eyes widened, seeing what he was thinking. "Tell everyone something different?"

A smirk found its way onto James's features. "Yep, tell each Marauder another Marauder is the Secret Keeper and see what gets back to Voldemort. If Snape finds out who the Secret Keeper is and he wants to protect you, he'll tell you. Then, when he does, we know who gave away the information."

"And then we know who the spy is," Lily finished.

"Exactly," James said.

A loud cry erupted from upstairs and the two walked up the stairs, still talking about James's idea. "Don't you think it's a bit dangerous?" Lily asked. "What if Voldemort decides to go after the fake Secret Keeper?"

"Hopefully, we've talked to Snape," he shuddered, "before that time."

Lily shook her head. "Perhaps we could just ask each of them to be the Secret Keeper and have Severus keep an eye out to find out what Voldemort hears? It would be less dangerous for the others."

"I don't think that would work," James said as they entered Jamie's room. James took his son in his arms and gently rocked him in his arms. The child's tears began to stop falling and his eyes began to close once more as his father whispered in his ear.

Once Jamie had fallen asleep in his father's arms, James continued. "Lily, if the traitor tells Voldemort that he's going to become the Secret Keeper, they'll just work together. If they have to find the Secret Keeper to get the location, they might enlist other Death Eaters," he whispered, as not to wake Jamie, who was still nestled safely in James's arms. "As much as I don't want to put my best mates in danger, this is the only plan we've got and we don't know when Voldemort's going to come, so we have to work quickly."

Lily nodded. "I suppose you're right."

James placed Jamie back in his crib and then turned to Lily. "It's the only plan we've got," he repeated, although Lily didn't know whether he was trying to convince her or himself.

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**So, tell me what you think!**

**Did I get the emotions right? I tried to imagine what James would react like if Lily was telling him all this. I figured he'd come to his senses about the spy (and how it's blatantly obvious that it's a Marauder) once he thought about keeping Jamie and Logan safe. I'm still not entirely happy about it, but I think it may just be one of those chapters...  
**

**Review!**


	51. Part II: Plan Initiated

**Hello all! In honor of Harry's birthday, and the fact that I have 503 reviews for fifty chapters (You all are great!) which averages out to ten reviews a chapter, I have another chapter that is finally finished. It's the longest one in a while so I hope you like it!

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Part II: Plan Initiated

Lily lifted Jamie out of his crib with care, reminding herself that Voldemort couldn't get him now, not when he was going to be surrounded by Order members at The Orchard. He giggled as she dressed him, tickling him as she pulled his shirt over his head. She held him in her arms and brought him down the stairs to where James was waiting in the living room with Logan.

They were going to The Orchard to celebrate Kaida's first birthday, but James and Lily had an ulterior motive as well. Sure, the first birthday of their goddaughter was important, but today was also the day they would be able to talk to the Marauders and set their plan into action.

Everything had been perfectly planned out and Lily just hoped it would work. She knew first hand that plans didn't work out the way they were supposed to. But, nonetheless, they knew what they would do. James would take Peter aside first, quickly mention that they were going into hiding from Voldemort and that Remus was the Secret Keeper. Waiting a bit, James would then take Remus and tell him the same except instead of Remus, Sirius was now their Secret Keeper.

And, because they both knew Sirius would protest that he wasn't Secret Keeper, they would tell Sirius and Michelle after everyone else had left.

They weren't surprised to find that they were the last to arrive. Logan had thrown a temper tantrum believing he was old enough to floo by himself, which the two year old obviously wasn't. When they arrived, they found Michelle, Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting in the living room. Kaida sat on her father's lap, pulling at the pink dress she had been put in with a crumpled look on her face which made Lily laugh.

"Thought you got lost," Sirius bellowed as James stepped out of the fireplace, Logan in hand.

James raised an eyebrow. "You haven't hit the terrible twos yet," he said with a bit of an evil smirk and a chuckle. "I can't wait to see that."

Remus laughed as well. "I'm not sure Sirius is even out of that stage yet." He turned to Michelle. "You'll have two toddlers on your hands."

"Very funny!" Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

"But, I'm telling you," James interjected, placing Logan on the ground where he sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's no fun at all."

"I floo myself!" Logan whined.

Sirius barked with laughter and motioned for Logan to approach him. Once the boy sat on the couch beside him, Sirius ruffled his hair affectionately. "Look, Log, you can't floo by yourself quite yet, or you'll end up somewhere you're not supposed to go." His eyes glistened over with memory. "I remember the first time I wanted to try flooing by myself. I was five, a few years older than you."

"Yeah, but you probably did it," Remus said, knowing Sirius's troublemaker nature must have started at a young age.

James groaned and Lily's eyes widened. "Don't give him any ideas!" she told him.

Sirius smirked at Lily before turning back to Logan. "Yes, I did do it, but luckily I only ended up at my Uncle Alphard's. He thought it was brilliant, my mother...she wasn't as impressed that I was trying to escape."

"Why am I not surprised?" Remus muttered as Peter looked up and asked, "Where were you going?"

Sirius shrugged. "Anywhere but home," he muttered darkly to Peter, and then he laughed and began to tickle his daughter. "But, enough about me. Although it is a wonderful bonus, as I am rather handsome, you didn't come over to see me."

Lily shot James a look and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod only enough for her to notice. Lily set Jamie on the ground and he began to play with a stuffed dragon Remus had given him for his birthday a few months prior. It roared and spit fake fire as he made it fly through the air. Sirius, in turn, placed Kaida on the ground by his feet. The little girl eyed Jamie for a moment before picking up one of her toys and making hers fly through the air as well.

The adults continued to watch the children play until Sirius announced that he'd go get the presents from the kitchen. James stood and shook him off. "Nah, Pete and I will get them," he said. "Right, Peter?"

Lily watched Sirius raise an eyebrow and look at James with a confused expression. "I'm capable of going to my own kitchen, James," he stated slowly.

James shook his head again. "This is a big day. You never get it back, one year old. Enjoy it, it only gets worse! Come along, Peter!"

Sirius, Remus, and Michelle watched James leave the room, Peter following on his heels as if he'd done something wrong and was going to be reprimanded for it. Sirius turned to Lily after they'd exited the room and stared at her for a moment. She didn't know what to do. Eying her suspiciously, he said, "That was odd."

She shrugged and smiled, although she thought it must have looked a bit forced. "What can I say? This is James we're talking about," she replied, chuckling nervously afterward.

"Good point," Sirius said, although, she could tell he wasn't ready to drop the subject.

They watched the children while they waited for James and Peter to return. It was taking longer than it should have and Lily could see that Sirius was curious as to what was going on. Remus, too, was watching the door out of the corner of his eye, and Michelle was attempting not to look like she was wondering as well.

Just as Sirius was about to stand, James barged into the room, his arms full of presents with Peter walking behind him empty handed, a dazed but excited expression on his face. Lily, for the first time, noticed that he was wearing long sleeves, which was a bit odd since it was the middle of August. He looked at Remus and smiled an almost cunning smile before sitting down in his seat and tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair.

"Here we are, birthday girl!" James said in a booming voice. Kaida looked up at her godfather with a curious expression, her eyes focused on the brightly colored boxes he was holding. "All for you!"

Sirius lifted Kaida into his lap as Michelle helped their daughter tear off the wrapping paper, revealing boxes filled with toys and clothes and everything in between. Lily always loved watching the children open the gifts, mostly because they seemed to have more fun opening the boxes and ripping wrapping paper than they did with the actual gift.

"Oh, James, this was your idea, wasn't it?" Michelle asked as she pulled out a toy broomstick. Sirius laughed and pumped his fist in the air as Kaida reached out to touch it.

James raised his eyebrows. "Now, what kind of godfather would I be if I didn't give her a toy broomstick for her first birthday?" he asked. "Both of my boys received them for their first birthdays from their godfather, it's only fair."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I tried to stop him," she said to her best friend, who was watching her daughter's fascination with the new broomstick in horror. "He wouldn't budge."

"She's going to hurt herself," Michelle muttered under her breath.

Sirius shook his head, hearing Michelle's fear. "Of course she won't!" he exclaimed. "She's going to be a natural. She'll be a beater, just like her dear ol' dad!"

"Unless she hates Quidditch –"

"Shut up, Remus!"

James threw his head back in laughter as Sirius threw a crumpled ball of wrapping paper at Remus. "She won't hate Quidditch!" he told his friend. "She's my kid, not yours!"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Did I ever say that I hated Quidditch?" James and Sirius turned to each other and began to talk, but Remus cut them off. "Don't answer that!"

The two laughed at their friend and Peter chuckled a bit. Lily looked to Michelle and the two rolled their eyes. "Who wants cake?" Michelle asked, knowing Sirius and James would jump at the opportunity.

As expected, they both did and rushed out like children. Peter muttered something about the Order and departed, gently patting Kaida's head and smiling nervously at Jamie and Logan before he apparated away, leaving Lily, Michelle, and Remus. Sirius walked in with James, plates of cake floating behind them. The one intended for Peter before he left landed on Remus's head, causing the group, especially the children, to laugh.

Sirius began to occupy himself with helping Kaida eat the cake without making a mess and James quickly jumped on the chance to get Remus. He stood and smiled. "Hey, Remus, I'll help you get that cleaned up."

Lily watched as Sirius's head lifted up, now aware that he was truly being left out of something. As James led Remus, who was arguing that he could just use magic, from the room, Sirius began to follow. Lily quickly grabbed his arm and looked up at him pleadingly.

"We'll tell you later," she whispered. "I promise."

Sirius looked down at her, hurt shining in his eyes, but it immediately subsided when he felt a tug at his pant leg. He smiled down at Jamie, who was grinning at his godfather, his arms outstretched. "Hey, kiddo!" he said, lifting Jamie into his arms.

The atmosphere of the room grew tense as James and Remus reentered. Sirius kept his eye on James while Remus looked to Sirius for a brief moment as if mulling over everything in his head. Before long, he left as well, although not as abruptly as Peter.

"So," Sirius drawled, leaning back into the couch and staring at James. "What is this big secret that you just can't seem to tell me?"

James turned to Lily and she took his hand. "It has to be done," she whispered, only so he could hear.

He took a deep breath and looked at his best friend. "We're going to go into hiding." He paused for a moment. "Soon."

Michelle and Sirius both looked at James with eyes the size of saucers. "What?" Sirius yelped. "Why?"

"We can't say much," Lily said, looking from Michelle to Sirius. "Unfortunately, we found out that Voldemort is after us and we need to protect ourselves."

Sirius shook his head, running his hand over his face. He looked up with a frown on his attractive features. "How are you hiding?" he asked, quieter than Lily had ever heard him speak. "Can you tell us that? Will we be able to see you?"

"We're going under the Fidelius Charm," James said, taking Jamie in his lap and holding the boy close to him. Logan continued to play with his toys on the floor as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

"Fidelius Charm?" Sirius clarified, standing up. "Then, you'll need a Secret Keeper! I'll do it!"

As Sirius approached, James held out his hand, palm up, signaling him to stop. "No," he said softly.

Confusion spread over Sirius's face, as well as a mix of shock and betrayal. He stepped back and sat down. "But, I'd protect you," Sirius whispered, more to himself than to James. Lily felt her heart break at the look on Sirius's face. "You know that, James, Lily. I'd do anything for you."

"As would I," Michelle added, speaking for the first time, although the shock of the situation was still apparent on her face.

"Which is why we can't choose you," James said, his eyes focused on Jamie who was staring up at his father, wondering why he wasn't laughing as he had been mere moments before when all the Marauders had been together. "Sirius, you're the obvious choice. You're my best mate and everyone knows it! Voldemort would go after you to get our location. I can't put you in that kind of danger, not when you have a family of your own."

Sirius opened his mouth to object, but James cut him off, continuing what he was going to say. "That's why we've chosen Peter."

"Peter!" Michelle shrieked, her eyes going wide. "Our Peter? Little Peter Pettigrew?"

Sirius's eyes went wide for a moment, clearly angry that they'd chosen Peter over himself, before he smiled. "It's brilliant!" he exclaimed.

"Sirius!" Michelle said, looking at her husband with shock. "Peter can't protect them from Voldemort! He can barely protect himself!"

"No, no, no," Sirius said, turning to James with light in his eyes. "It's the perfect ploy. No one would ever expect Peter to be the Secret Keeper over me."

James smiled at Lily before turning back to his friends. "Exactly, not that we don't trust either of you, but we thought this would be the best way."

"I agree that this is best," Sirius replied, nodding his head. "People would realize the Secret Keeper would be me and that would leave Peter or Remus, and personally, I don't believe Remus is the best choice."

"Sirius," Michelle warned, tugging at his arm. "Don't tell them this! You don't know if it's true!"

Sirius frowned and shook his head. "No, but if Voldemort is after them, they need to know my suspicions!" he yelled, causing Kaida to look up at her father in fear. Sirius didn't notice and turned back to James. "I think the spy is Remus."

"Remus?" Lily asked, shaking her head. "Why?"

"Voldemort has all the dark creatures at his command," Sirius explained, looking from Lily to James. "Remus is a werewolf and all of them are going over to that side. I mean, it's only a matter of time before he got Remus, too."

Michelle shook her head. "But, Remus wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Who else could it be? Peter? He wouldn't last as a Death Eater!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "Order members are being picked off one by one. Marlene McKinnon? She's gone; her whole family was killed by Death Eaters! Benjy Fenwick? He was blasted to pieces! And Edgar Bones - they got his wife and kids too. And that was only yesterday!" He shook his head. "What if he turns over James and Lily next?"

The room fell silent at the conviction of Sirius's opinion. Each of the adults was thinking the same thing. Was Sirius right? Was the spy really Remus? It all seemed too much to take in and the four began to talk about lighter subjects, but the question still loomed in the back of their minds.

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**So, a bit of canon there, with Sirius thinking the spy is Remus, but I hope you all liked this chapter!**

**Review!**


	52. Part II: Best Man

**Hi all! I'm back. This is the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy.**

**And, quickly before we start, I just wanted to say that since there has been some interest, I've decided to start writing Part II canonized. What do you all think?**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Best Man

It had been more than three weeks since Kaida's first birthday and Lily hadn't heard a word from Severus. She was beginning to worry that the plan was going to fail in front of her eyes, but she kept her head up. Severus had been one of her best friends. He wouldn't betray her if he knew something was going to happen to her. Or, at least, she hoped.

Lily decided now that it was the middle of September that it would be a good idea to take a visit to Hogwarts and see Severus. Perhaps if she told him of the plan then he would be more likely to pick up on who Voldemort believed the Secret Keeper to be.

But today was not the day for that.

Lily watched Logan as he colored on a bit of parchment on the floor of the living room. He looked up at her and smiled while the squiggles of color bounced around the parchment with vigor. Jamie was resting in her arms, his head on her shoulder. She stroked his hair and frowned. It was almost as if the little boy knew there was something horrible going on.

"Mummy, look!" Logan cheered, holding up his drawing.

"That is beautiful, Logan," she told him. He smiled proudly in response.

He walked over to where she was sitting on the couch and sat beside her, the picture finding its place in his lap. His grin broadened as he began to tell Lily about his day, which Lily knew all about but didn't have the heart to stop him. She knew he was doing this because he would see his father do this when he got home from helping Dumbledore with the Order.

She tuned Logan out, thinking about the situation. James was still out helping with the war effort, but she knew it couldn't go on forever. Their friends were beginning to become suspicious as to why they weren't in hiding yet. She and James had decided that he would continue to help until Severus told them of the spy, but so far, that hadn't happened.

Frank and Alice hadn't been working with the Order either. Dumbledore had them staying out of trouble. Lily heard he had placed wards around their house but hadn't thought of the Fidelius Charm. She rubbed Jamie's back; thinking about the situation made her sick to her stomach. How could a child, a baby who was only a year old, defeat the worst dark wizard of the age? Jamie buried his head deeper into her shoulder.

Lily smiled. Jamie and Logan were already so different. Logan was loud and rambunctious, a lot like James, but also a lot like her. She could see him at Hogwarts, pranking people and being a star on the Quidditch team, but at the same time being a good student – prefect, Head Boy, perhaps top of his class. Jamie was entirely different. He was shy, opening up to only a few people besides her, James, and Logan. He seemed to be scared of Peter, bashful around Remus, and at ease with Sirius and Michelle, unlike his older brother who deeply cared about all of his parents's friends.

"Mummy?"

She shook her thoughts out of her head and looked back down to Logan. "What is it, sweetie?" she asked, ruffling his hair that was already an unruly mop even though he was only two.

He looked up at her and fidgeted with his picture. "Why bad people?"

Taken aback by the abrupt question, Lily thought for a moment. Why were there bad people? Logan knew all about them. Not only were there villains in bedtime stories, but James told him every day before he went to help with the Order that he was going to "help fight the bad people" as Logan didn't understand much about what was going on. Sure, as any kid could, he knew the basics. His parents and family were on the good side, and the people Daddy fought were bad.

Logan, with his inquisitive mind, was now beginning to wonder why there were bad people, what made them different than his parents, than Sirius, Michelle, Remus, and Peter. Jamie lifted his head off of Lily's shoulder to look up at her with his emerald eyes alight with fear. "Bad?" he asked quietly.

"Not here. You're safe," she told him before turning to Logan, who was patiently waiting for an answer. "I don't know, Logan," she said, telling him the only honest answer she could come up with. "I really don't know."

She turned back to Jamie, who was looking around the room for the bad people his brother was talking about. She tried to soothe him, but Logan's next statement caught her off guard.

"Voldemort is bad," he said, his eyes focused on his drawing.

Lily turned back to her older son, still stroking Jamie's hair in attempts to soothe him. "What?" she gasped softly. She didn't know how her son knew about Voldemort as she and James tried not to talk about him in front of the children.

"Voldemort is bad," he repeated. "Daddy say. Siri say." He nodded before concluding with, "Voldemort bad people."

It was then Lily realized he had overheard James and Sirius talking. Logan didn't know any better, he didn't know that Voldemort was a single person causing terror throughout the Wizarding World. All he knew was that Voldemort, whatever that was, was bad, possibly even the bad people that his father fought.

Lily shook her head and brought her son closer to her. "Yes, Voldemort is very bad," she said softly, kissing the top of his head. "But, you're safe. Jamie's safe –"

"Daddy safe?" he asked, looking up at Lily with wide blue eyes. In his eyes, eyes that reminded her of her father every time she looked into them, she saw fear. She saw pleading. She saw him looking at her and knowing that she was going to tell him that James was safe and not to worry because, in the storybooks, the good guy always wins.

"Yes," she told him, hoping this wasn't the day Dumbledore and Moody stopped on her doorstep to tell her that James was dead. Logan would never trust her again. "Daddy's safe."

He relaxed and smiled up at her. "Good."

"Daddy?" Jamie asked, now looking around the room for James.

"He's not home yet, Jamie," she said. "He'll be home soon." He looked down at her and smiled the grin he had inherited from James.

A knock resounded through the house and Lily frowned, her mind immediately going back to her conversation with Logan. She stood, keeping Jamie tight in her arms and peered out the window to the porch. To her relief the man ringing her doorbell was not Albus Dumbledore or Alastor Moody. She couldn't make out who he was, but she could see he didn't have Dumbledore's height and beard or Moody's battle wounds.

Logan had hopped off the couch and rushed to the door. Before she could stop him, he'd opened the door wide. "Daddy!" he cheered, but when he noticed the man looking back at him was not James, his smile faltered. His head cocked to the side in confusion as he stood in the doorway, Lily rushing behind him, to see a cloaked figure standing on the porch being eyed by the neighbors.

The figure dropped his hood and Lily gasped. "Lily, let me in," he said.

She moved to the side and Severus Snape stormed passed her, closing the door behind him and leaving the Muggles's eyes on the other side. Once he was inside, he turned to face her. "You have to go," he hissed.

"Where's Daddy?" Logan demanded, not liking Severus barging into his house when his father wasn't home. Lily placed a hand on his head to stop him and looked at Severus.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

Severus's eyes landed on Jamie for a split second before shaking his head. "He's coming," he hissed, moving into the living room and taking a handful of floo powder. He tossed it into the fireplace and it shone green. "He wants to come before you go under the Fidelius, so he's coming tonight with a few of his most trusted."

Lily didn't need to ask who he was talking about. She shook her head. No matter how often she had thought of the moment where she would find out who the spy was, she had never imagined how hard it would be to speak and move when the time actually came. She wanted to ask him if he knew who the Secret Keeper was going to be, if he knew who the spy was.

"Dear Merlin, Lily, just get in the fireplace," Severus pleaded, walking over to Logan and grabbing the boy in his arms. Logan began to squirm and shout, hitting Snape with his balled up fists. "You need to go to Hogwarts where you can be safe!"

Lily was rooted to her spot and couldn't move. Voldemort was coming. He knew about the Fidelius. Someone was actually the spy. She looked up at Severus. "Who betrayed us?" she asked quietly, forgetting that Severus knew nothing about the plan.

"For Merlin's sake, Lily!" Severus exclaimed, fear rising in his drawling voice. He was nearly pushing her into the fireplace now, not enough so she would fall in, but enough to get her walking. "You trusted the wrong man as Secret Keeper and now you need to get to Hogwarts." Then he groaned. "This is all Potter's fault! First, it was his stupid friends, and now his stupid kid is putting you into danger."

"Severus," she whispered, shaking her head realizing that James wasn't home. "Severus, I have to stay here. I have to wait for James!"

"You will do no such thing!" Severus roared, his black eyes flaming. "Potter will find his way."

Lily stood her ground and shook her head, turning to face her childhood friend. "If you think for one moment," she hissed, her redhead temper lashing out at the man, "that I am going to leave him here to die at Voldemort's hands, leave my children without their father, you are highly mistaken!"

"If you don't leave, they won't need a father because they'll be dead!" Severus yelled. "It's nearly dark now! I am risking everything to save you!" His eyes looked to the child now limp from exhaustion in his arms. Logan's pounding had stopped and the boy's eyelids drooped heavily from his expense of energy trying to attack Severus. The man's black eyes softened for a moment as he looked into Logan's blue eyes and Lily could see that her childhood friend could recognize that her son had inherited Logan Evans's eyes.

"Go," he said softly, motioning for Lily to step in the fire. "I'll stay here and wait for Potter."

Lily shook her head. "How do I know you won't just leave?"

Severus looked at her for a moment. He placed Logan on the floor, but noticed he was fast asleep and picked him back up. "You're going to have to trust me," he said softly. "Can you take them both?"

She nodded and Severus helped place Logan in her arms so she could take both the boys in one trip. It wasn't ideal, but she needed to do it to keep her children safe. "The minute James gets here you'll bring him to Hogwarts, right?" Lily asked, hating the way her voice sounded like a little girl.

Scowling, Severus agreed. "I'll make sure your precious Potter arrives to Hogwarts alive." He touched her cheek and smiled, although it looked painful for him to do so. Lily felt her heart break at the sight of him. He was obviously torn between what he wanted to do and what was right, but he was going to help her. Blinking the tears from her eyes, she stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Thank you for everything you've done. I know it can't be easy."

"I'll do anything for you, Lily," he replied. He patted Jamie's head awkwardly, cringing at the sight of his hand making contact with the mass of black hair. "And if that means protecting Potter from his own friends, then I'll do it."

She nodded and backed away. She was nearly in the fireplace when she heard Severus call her name. He looked at her with a confused expression. "What?" she asked. He shook his head, wordlessly telling her to forget it. Instead of questioning it, she asked something else. "You said he was bringing Death Eaters. Were you coming tonight?"

His eyes traveled to the ground and when he looked up, she knew the answer. "We've known for a few weeks that we were coming, but he told us this morning that we were doing it tonight and what our assignments were." Lily felt her eyes widen and he looked down ashamed. "I was supposed to get Logan, but I promise you, Lily, I would never kill him. He's part of you."

It was all too much for Lily to take and she turned to the fireplace. Tears were filling her eyes and about to fall when Severus called her again. This time she didn't turn back. "What?"

"Why did you pick the werewolf?" he asked. "I mean, I thought you'd pick Black when I heard you were under the Fidelius. He is Potter's best friend."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, turning around and wanting it to be clarified.

He shrugged. "Why did you pick Lupin as Secret Keeper?" he asked.

Her face dropped and her mind cursed Peter Pettigrew before she turned around. "We didn't," she said as she stepped into the fireplace, not turning to see the look of confusion on his face, and she felt the familiar jerking of the floo network. Before long, she stepped out onto the stone floors of Hogwarts, specifically in Albus Dumbledore's office. He was nowhere to be seen, so she placed Logan in one of the chairs in front of his desk and cradled Jamie in her arms.

He was looking up at her with wide eyes filled with tears. "Bad man?" he asked, obviously scared from what had happened.

"No," she said, shaking her head and dusting a bit of soot off his face. "Severus Snape is one of the best men I've ever known." She kissed his head and let the tears escape her eyes.

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**So, how did you like it? And good ol' Severus Snape and the inevitable question, is he good as Lily thinks or is he not so good? Hmm…**

**Review!**


	53. Part II: Wormtail's Confession

**Hi! Sorry about the wait. I got really engrossed in this book I'm reading and I couldn't put it down. I'm still not finished with it (it's Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen) but I took a break to post this chapter.**

**Hope you like it.**

**Enjoy!**

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Part II: Wormtail's Confession

Lily woke with a start as the door to Dumbledore's office opened, creaking softly enough not to wake the boys. She stood from the chair carefully, as Jamie was still in her arms and resting, and turned toward the door. She was immediately taken into James's arms. Looking over his shoulder, she could see Dumbledore, a relieved twinkle in his eye, as well as Professor McGonagall who looked thrilled.

Jamie stirred from his spot, sandwiched between his father and mother, but James didn't let her go. "James, what's wrong?" she asked quietly, wondering why he would be acting like this if Severus told him they were safe.

He withdrew his arms and smiled down at Jamie, running a hand over his head. "I'm just so happy you're safe," he said, looking around the room for Logan. When he spotted the two year old, napping soundly in the corner, he smiled and turned back to her. "I didn't expect to see you, here of all places!"

Lily frowned. "Didn't Severus tell you?"

James frowned as well. "Snape? What would he tell me?" he asked, shaking his head.

"He was at the house," Lily told him, thinking that he was, perhaps, overlooking this. "He said he would tell you we were here, safe. He said he'd get you here."

"Lily, he wasn't there," James said.

He opened his mouth to say more, but Lily cut him off. "He said he would stay!" she exclaimed. "He told me he would make sure you were safe! He said he'd wait at the house for you!"

She couldn't believe it. Severus had lied to her. He was only out to protect her, and she should have known that. He would never save James, not in a million years, and she didn't understand why she thought he would do it now. She was naïve for thinking it. She was naïve for believing him.

"Lily," James said softly, shaking his head. "There is no house."

Frowning, she looked up at James. "What?" she asked quietly. Surely he didn't mean it.

"The house is gone, Lily," he repeated. "Demolished. It's completely wiped out and I thought…I thought all of you were dead."

Lily looked down at Jamie, who was now wide awake and reaching his arms out for his father. She carefully passed him off to James and frowned. James had thought they were all dead. He had come home to destruction. She had to sit down. Moving to the chair Logan was in, she carefully picked him up and hugged him tightly. She couldn't imagine what James had to have been thinking.

Dumbledore walked to his desk, McGonagall hot on his heels, and looked somberly at the young couple. "I should have listened to Severus when he told me the two of you were in danger," he said, regret in his voice. "I thought if Voldemort was instructed that he was wrong by Severus, he wouldn't attack you and would go after the Longbottoms. Unfortunately, it appears that Severus didn't tell him he was wrong about the prophecy as I had expected."

James shook his head. "No, Albus," he spoke. "Voldemort isn't wrong about the prophecy."

Dumbledore frowned and looked at James through narrowed eyes. He tilted his head to look over his glasses and stroked his beard with his hand. "It is interesting that you would say that, James, seems as you do not know of what the prophecy says." His voice was harsh. "Unless, of course, I am mistaken."

"Snape told us of what the prophecy says," James told his former headmaster. "The child that can defeat Voldemort would be born as the seventh month dies to parents who have defied him three times."

McGonagall shook her head. "Then, why is Voldemort after you? Jamie was born in May, not July," she stated firmly. "It says so on the scrolls. Neville Longbottom was the only boy born at the end of July."

Looking at James, Lily took a deep breath before turning to the Hogwarts staff. "Jamie was born early," she said. "His due date was the end of July, but he was born at almost eight months, but not quite – twenty-eight weeks."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as shock spread across McGonagall's features. "And he's alive," Dumbledore muttered, leaning over a bit to look at the youngest Potter. Jamie turned away and pressed his face into James's shoulder. "That's extraordinary."

"And he's shown signs of magic?" McGonagall questioned. She shook her head. "Well, of course, and he will if he hasn't already. His name is on the Hogwarts scrolls, I've seen it myself."

James sighed. "He's shown magic. He started healing himself less than a week after he was born," he said, a small amount of boastfulness covered by fear. "That's why we didn't tell anyone except our friends. After we found out he was going to survive we didn't want to give anyone a reason…"

"We didn't want something like this to happen where someone was out to get him," Lily finished, "thinking he was too powerful or what not."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. The gears in his head were spinning and Lily could almost see them. He blinked and then frowned. "Well, then." He paused. "I suppose there were two choices after all, just like Severus said. And I can see why Voldemort would choose Jamie as this child, but my question is how Voldemort found out about him if, as you say, you didn't tell anyone."

His question wasn't a question at all, Lily thought. She could see that he thought the spy was one of their friends or possibly one of them. She turned to James and found him explaining that they knew one of the Marauders was the spy, but didn't know which one. "…We're waiting on Severus to tell us. We put a plan in motion –"

"No," Lily interrupted. "We know."

James turned to her and she remembered that he wasn't there when Severus alerted her to the spy. Lily turned to Dumbledore and away from James, as she didn't want to see his face when he found out. "It's Peter Pettigrew. Severus told me earlier."

McGonagall's lips formed a thin line and Dumbledore's eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "Peter!" James roared, waking Logan from his slumber and causing Jamie to cry. James turned to Jamie and rocked him in his arms, whispering to him apologetically.

"And Severus is sure?" Dumbledore asked.

Lily nodded. "I believe him."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly and then stood, walking to the fireplace. He threw a handful of floo powder into the flames and then stuck his head inside. Lily couldn't make out what he was saying. He stood and tossed more powder into the fire. Again, he stuck his head inside, and again, Lily couldn't understand. He did this a third time before looking back to Lily, James, and McGonagall.

"Minerva, if you would, fetch Severus and ask him if I could have the Veritaserum that I had him brew. I believe I saw him when we arrived," he said. McGonagall quickly left and Dumbledore sat back down at his desk, conjuring up seven goblets with tea inside. "Surely the two of you wouldn't mind if your friend Peter went under a bit of Veritaserum."

James shook his head. "He's no friend of mine."

McGonagall returned and handed Dumbledore the vial she held in her hand before exiting the room once more. Inside was a clear potion that looked like water. Dumbledore placed a drop in one of the goblets before passing two of the Veritaserum-free goblets to Lily and James. Within moments, the fireplace lit up in green flames and Sirius stepped out, dressed in his pajamas, and glaring at the three adults.

"What is going on here?" he growled, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Lily quickly turned to the clock on the wall and found that it was nearly midnight. "This was my first night off in a week!"

The fireplace turned green again and Michelle stepped out. She was dressed in a robe, Kaida asleep in her arms. "You said it was urgent, Albus?"

"Indeed," Dumbledore responded. Waving his hands and conjuring four more chairs. "Have a seat and some tea. You'll need it. We have important things to talk about and we don't want you falling asleep."

"Then you should have called it at a decent hour," Sirius grumbled, taking a goblet anyway. He hit James over the head with the back of his hand and sat down beside him. "I bet this was your idea," he groaned.

James shook his head, not speaking, as the fireplace turned green once more. Remus walked out this time, fully dressed and wide awake. "What happened?" he asked, looking from his friends to Dumbledore as if someone had died.

"There are just some things we have to discuss," the headmaster said, motioning for him to sit down and telling him to drink the tea just like Sirius and Michelle.

Sirius finished his goblet quickly, not taking quiet sips like his wife, and smirked at the newcomer. "Morning, Remus!" he cheered with fake enthusiasm.

"You look happy," Remus replied evenly to his clearly un-amused friend. "Ecstatic, even."

Sirius shook his head. "How could you tell?" he asked sarcastically as Peter scurried into the room, unaware of James's glare. He quickly grabbed the remaining goblet and sat down in the vacant seat by Remus, sipping the drink like everyone else.

"Ah," Dumbledore said, "now that everyone has arrived, we have grave news to speak of."

"Who died now?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore shook his head and placed his goblet on his desk. "No, no," he said, lifting a hand. "No one has died, but we have recognized the spy."

Lily looked around the room. Sirius and Remus cast glances at each other filled with hatred, both thinking the spy was the other. Michelle closed her eyes and hugged the still sleeping Kaida closer to her. Peter's eyes had widened and he was looking for an escape – or at least, that's what Lily thought it looked like as he frantically glanced around the room at the few windows in Dumbledore's office.

As Lily found herself watching Peter, Dumbledore spoke once more. "Sirius, Remus, do you have something to say?"

"It's got to be Remus!" Sirius exclaimed at the same time Remus replied, "Sirius is the likely suspect."

Peter looked giddy with excitement and quickly relaxed. Lily hoped this was all part of Dumbledore's plan because she didn't want the little rat to get away. Sirius and Remus both glared at each other. After a moment, Sirius laughed darkly.

"After everything that I have been through with my family, you think I'm the spy?" he asked, hurt in his voice.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "After everything that I have been through with my condition, you think _I'm_ the spy?" he retaliated, just as hurt.

There was a moment of silence as Dumbledore turned to Peter. "You've been rather quiet," he said. "What do you think on this subject? Do you know who the spy is?"

Sirius and Remus both looked at Peter expectantly, and James held murder in his eyes as he brought Jamie closer to him. Peter looked down, then back up, and said, "Yes," he said, surprised by what was coming from his mouth.

"Who is it?" Dumbledore pressed as Sirius, Remus, and Michelle stared at Peter in shock.

There was a moment and Peter swallowed. "Me," he stated.

Sirius nearly jumped out of his chair, attempting to charge for the man, and Remus held on to him. James, just glared at Peter, his breathing ragged as if trying to contain himself. Peter's eyes widened as Dumbledore walked over and lifted Peter's sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark.

"I'm gonna kill him," Sirius yelled, repeating it over and over as Remus held on to his waist to keep him from attack. He was nearly foaming at the mouth like a dog and Lily wouldn't have been surprised if he transformed just to maul Peter, even in front of Dumbledore who knew nothing about the Marauders' Animagus forms. "Remus, let me go!"

"I hardly doubt having both of you in Azkaban will do us any good," he hissed through his teeth, using the majority of his energy to hang on.

Sirius turned to Remus. "He was going to give James and Lily to Voldemort!" he yelled. "He's a Death Eater!"

As the fight ensued, Lily noticed Peter had grabbed his wand. Not knowing what he was going to do, she shielded Logan behind her. Peter lifted his wand to his head, but James noticed and was up in a moment, having set Jamie down in the chair, and was hanging on to Peter, his wand kicked across the room.

"Let me at him, James!" Sirius exclaimed. "We can do it together!"

"You have a daughter, Sirius," Remus was saying, quietly so Sirius would hear and possibly stop. "Don't do this. Don't do this to her. Don't make her grow up without a father."

Sirius calmed, if only slightly, and then shook his head at the man being held onto by James. He was breathing heavily now. All that could be heard was the cries coming from the scared children that had woken from the outburst and Sirius's breaths.

"Should have known it was you, you rat!" Sirius hissed, and a revelation seemed to dawn on Remus and James's faces. It was clear that Sirius had now realized that Peter's Animagus form was a rat, and Animagus forms are taken by personality traits and was saying this to alert his friends. "Wormtail, you little, revolting rat! I hope you rot in Azkaban."

The use of Wormtail as a nickname made all the Marauders wince, not only because they didn't use them anymore, but because they had treated Peter as a brother and he betrayed them. Remus looked to Dumbledore. "We should get him to the Ministry where they can hold him until he has his trial."

"You are quite right, Remus," Dumbledore said, walking over to the fireplace and throwing floo powder in it once more. He stuck his head in and then out. Within moments it had turned green and Alastor Moody stepped out, his wand at the ready, followed closely by Fabian and Gideon Prewett.

"Yes, Albus?" Moody grumbled, looking at the group he had with him. "What in Merlin's –"

"Alastor, if you would escort Mr. Pettigrew to the Ministry to await a trail," Dumbledore said calmly. "It would be greatly appreciated. And, if you would, alert the other Order members that we have caught the spy and he will be in holding at the Ministry."

Moody, as well as the Prewett brothers, looked at Peter with mild shock. But, Moody quickly recovered and gruffly grabbed the younger man by the arm. "So, you thought you could traitor on us, did yah, Pettigrew?" he asked, shaking his head. He led him to the fire, Fabian and Gideon holding on as well so he wouldn't get away. Before they stepped in, Moody placed Peter in a full body bind, and the man went stiff.

Once the fireplace had turned green and the four men were gone, Dumbledore nodded to the group. "Now, I am afraid, we will need to discuss your safety," he said to Lily and James.

"Yeah, seems as the rat was your Secret Keeper," Sirius muttered.

Remus turned to Sirius in surprise. "What are you mad?" he asked. "You were Secret Keeper, not Peter!"

Both men turned to James and he looked at the floor. "Um…well, let me explain."

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**Ah, so Peter's done. That felt so good! Oh, and I know I left a few doors open in this chapter, but everything will be explained soon enough.**

**Review!**


	54. Part II: Explaining Everything

**First off, I want to say I am so so sorry for the lack of updating – what has it been, a little over a week? – and I want to make it up to you with a long chapter. Although not as long as I would have liked, it's longer than the last.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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Part II: Explaining Everything

Lily had never seen Sirius look so angry. He would growl. His nose would flare every so often as he tried to keep himself from pouncing. The muscles in his arms would clench before relaxing. But, more than angry, he looked hurt and confused as James continued to explain the plan they had made in attempts of keeping their family safe.

"We would have protected you!" Sirius exclaimed. He stood, thrusting his hand in the direction of Remus and then himself, as if he didn't remember that less than an hour earlier he had accused Remus of being the traitor. "We would have died for you!"

James stared at Sirius for a moment, trying to decide what to say to keep his friend from exploding even further. Sirius just didn't understand that Lily and James couldn't trust anyone. "I know," he said quietly, then turned, waiting for Sirius's reply.

"You know?" he hissed as Remus shook his head. "You know? Then, how come you didn't come to us, huh? You believed Snape over us!"

Lily turned guiltily to James, feeling horrible that he was taking the brunt of blame. But, the look on James's face had changed, morphed into a glare. "I did believe Snape," James said, standing so he could look Sirius in the eye. "And I don't regret it and do you know why?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow, encouraging James to speak. "How could you possibly believe that slimy git?" he asked. Michelle groaned and hissed at Sirius to stop. Lily bit her bottom lip as James continued.

"My sons are safe. I knew Snape was in Voldemort's inner circle and I knew that he would protect Lily, so sure, I used him, but for good intentions," he said, so quietly that the occupants of the room could barely hear. "You believed the traitor was Remus."

Shaking his head, Sirius shrugged. "That's over now," he said, uneasily look at Remus. "We both thought each other because, I mean, come on, Peter – who would have thought?" He let out a nervous chuckle.

James didn't chuckle. "If Snape hadn't already come to Lily to tell her about the prophecy, I would have believed you," he said, looking at Remus with a guilty expression before turning back to Sirius. "I always believe you."

Sirius nodded. "Well, that's over now," he repeated, making a motion to sit down. "We can forget it. The rat's gone, and the remaining Marauders are still here and kicking."

"Don't you get it?" James yelled, turning from Sirius to the rest of the people in the room. "We would have been against Remus! Peter would have had any opportunity!" He sat down in his chair, pulling at his hair. "We would have been in that house tonight!"

"James," Sirius said softly, kneeling in front of his friend. "It's over now. Everyone's safe."

James shook his head. "My sons could have been killed tonight!" he exclaimed. "We all would have been dead. Logan, Jamie, Lily, me, all of us…"

Lily felt her face slacken. It was thanks to Severus that they were saved. He had, after all, taken the initiative to warn them. But, then again, he had left James behind. She saw Remus move from his seat to kneel beside Sirius. James was obviously shaken at the thought of his family being destroyed. He was trembling in his seat and it was only because she was so focused on him that she didn't notice she was shaking as well.

"James, you're all safe," Sirius said, but Remus shook his head.

"What happened, James?" he asked, still motioning for Sirius to stop.

James looked up at Remus in surprise for a moment, then back down into his lap. "The house is destroyed," he said quietly, his voice wavering. "Voldemort went there before I got back and after Lily left."

Sirius's face dropped and he turned to Dumbledore, his eyes darkening. "Can't I just kill the little rat?" he asked, completely serious. "_Azkaban_ doesn't even deserve him!"

Dumbledore shook his head, but Sirius had already turned back to James and wasn't waiting for an answer. "Unfortunately, we will have to speak of this at a later date," Dumbledore said, eyeing Sirius and Remus. "At the moment, James, Lily, your safety is our priority."

Both men sat back in their seats. "So, the prophecy that Snape told Lily is true?" Remus asked. "The child it speaks of is Jamie?"

"Not necessarily," James said as Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer. "It could be Neville Longbottom, too."

Dumbledore lifted a finger and looked at the group. "What we are about to speak of does not leave this room," he said quietly. "Understood?"

The five adults nodded and Dumbledore leaned forward. "Before today, I thought the child had to be Neville Longbottom, now," he shook his head, "I believe differently."

Lily looked down at Jamie who was situated in her lap. He was awake and looking up into her face with a smile on his face. She ran a hand through his dark hair and took a deep breath. It didn't seem possible that everything was collapsing around her.

"Voldemort," Dumbledore continued, "is to mark the boy as an equal. This means that it could still be Neville, but I'm inclined to believe that he will go after Jamie."

"So, what do we do?" James asked, the only one to speak in the silence that followed Dumbledore's words. "We can't just leave Jamie to Voldemort. Should we let him think he fooled us?"

Sirius turned sharply. "You go under the Fidelius, of course!" he exclaimed. "And –"

"And Voldemort will never be defeated," James interrupted quietly. "It's a lose-lose situation. Voldemort wants Jamie and he's going to try to kill us all." Sirius shook his head angrily, and James threw his hands in the air. "It's not like we can leave the Longbottoms out to be sacrificed! They would go into hiding too and the world will be just as bad as it is now if one of the boys isn't marked."

No one said anything for a moment. A fierce silence descended upon the room, making every movement Jamie made seem excessively loud, as if mocking them. Kaida and Logan had since fallen asleep. Before long, James and Sirius began an argument about hiding.

"I will be your Secret Keeper!" Sirius hissed, nodding at Remus in attempts to get him to agree.

James shook his head. "I can't put you in that position. It's too dangerous," he muttered. Sirius opened his mouth in rebuttal. He managed to get out, "I'd die," before James shook his head. "You have a daughter to think about. Like Remus said earlier, do you want her to grow up in a world without you?"

Sirius's eyes glazed over and he looked almost angry. He leaned forward in his chair and glared at James, his gray-blue eyes alight and barely seen through the slits his eyes had made. "I want her to grow up in a world where she knows she can protect those she loves," he said, dangerously soft. "I'd much rather her grow up knowing I died to protect two of the most noble people I have ever met than for me to still be alive knowing I did nothing to save you."

The room fell silent again. Sirius took a deep breath and stared at James for a long moment before turning to Remus and back to James. "I will die for you, James, just as I know you would die for me, and I'm sure Remus feels the same."

"I do," Remus replied, almost immediately, as if not speaking would count him as a traitor, just like Peter.

"Which is why you'll go into hiding now," Sirius said. "This will keep you safe."

James shook his head. "And what about the Longbottoms? What about our world?" he shouted.

Sirius slammed his hand on the arm of the chair. "Damn it, James," he exclaimed, tears forming in his eyes. "For once, will you stop being so bloody noble and safe yourself? Please? If not for me, for Jamie and Logan? Let them live."

"There must be a way around it, Albus," Remus said when James looked away. Lily could tell he was disgusted with himself for not thinking about his sons when he was speaking of sacrificing.

"We can put you both under the Fidelius Charm," Dumbledore spoke softly, not believing what he was saying himself. "And, we'll fight Voldemort for as long as possible."

James shook his head. "We can only fight him for so long," he said. "We're losing numbers by the day. We can't last much longer."

The fireplace turned green and the face of Alastor Moody filled the fire. Dumbledore stood, a frown on his face. "What is it, Alastor?"

Moody shook his head frantically. "Found Dorcas Meadowes – Dark Mark over her house. She's been dead for days, probably by Voldemort himself," he spat. "Death Eaters attacked when we got there. Fabian and Gideon are gone." He had tears in his eyes and it made Lily tear up herself. Alastor Moody was not one for crying and the Prewett brothers had just been in Dumbledore's office moments before. They had taken Peter away, alive right before Lily's eyes. "They fought like heroes," Moody added.

"Thank you, Alastor," Dumbledore said solemnly, closing his eyes as Moody's face disappeared.

"We have to do something," James spoke in the silence. "This can't go on any longer."

Sirius shook his head and picked Logan up out of one of the chairs. No one noticed the sound of a door clicking open. "So, what are you going to do? Sacrifice your own kids?" he asked, holding Logan in his arms as if trying to keep him away from James. "Quit trying to play the hero!"

"No, I'm not going to sacrifice my kids! I'd never do that," James whispered, shaking his head. "But, we have to do something. We can't keep letting Voldemort terrorize the country."

"The Dark Lord thinks you're dead."

All the heads in the room spun around to the new voice. Sirius growled softly. "What are you doing here, Snivellus?" he said, glaring at Snape as he entered the room.

Snape walked in, looking passed Sirius to James and Lily. Lily glared at him, remembering that he had left James to die earlier that night and if James had shown up when the Death Eaters were there, when Voldemort was there, he would have been dead. "The Dark Lord thinks the four of you are dead," Snape said, more to Lily than to James.

Lily looked to James in surprise and found her husband frowning. Dumbledore also looked mildly confused. "Now, why might that be, Severus?" he asked.

Not removing his eyes from Lily, Snape blinked once, covering his dark eyes with his pasty white lids. When he opened them, the darkness seemed to have faded. "I thought about what you've said," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear, before turning to Dumbledore. "I was trying to do right, believe me when I say this."

Sirius snorted and muttered, "Who let this git in?" as Snape turned to glare at him. Remus and Michelle looked at Snape with wide eyes; James focused on him with skepticism.

"I told you to stay at the house and you left," Lily whispered.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, obviously intrigued by what the man was saying and not listening to Lily's accusation. "Continue, Severus."

"Lily," Snape said, looking down at her, "I did stay." She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to silence her. "I stayed until I was beckoned. When Potter hadn't shown up yet, I did the only thing I could think of."

Shaking her head, she could feel tears prick her eyes. She had trusted him and he had betrayed her trust. "You left him to die."

"I destroyed your house," he countered, not missing a beat.

Lily stopped shaking her head and closed her eyes. He was lying. He had to be. She had already pinned the blame on him and now he was lying to cover for his leaving. Severus Snape and James Potter had never gotten along; why had she trusted him to wait for James in the first place?

Snape knelt in front of her, staying in a position that made him look like he was pleading for forgiveness. "I thought if Potter saw that house, he wouldn't stay. If you all weren't there, I could convince Voldemort that you were dead," he moaned. "I blew up the house, and then I went to the Dark Lord when he called. I had to pretend that I didn't know the truth and he believed what he saw. He saw the house; he thinks someone already got to you."

"What else does he believe?" Dumbledore asked, prodding Snape for more information. Lily turned to her old headmaster and found him staring at Snape with a look of curiosity. He wanted this information. He wanted a spy.

There was a sigh as Snape turned to Lily. "I'm doing this for you," he mouthed before speaking aloud. "He wouldn't listen to me when I wanted to save you. He laughed in my face. So, I figured I had to do something on my own, Lily."

"Wait!" Sirius yelled, storming toward Snape and glaring at the man. "How do we know he's telling us the truth and he's not just leading us into a trap?"

Dumbledore turned to Lily and she sighed. Of course she would be used as a gauge for his loyalty, but she could tell that Dumbledore already trusted Snape. He had, after all, wanted to make Snape a spy ages ago, but his former pupil had declined. Now, Severus Snape was being exactly what Dumbledore wanted, his spy, his puppet in Voldemort's inner circle.

"Because, Sirius, I trust him," Dumbledore responded before turning back to Severus. "You will be our spy from the Order into Voldemort's circle."

Snape nodded. "Yes," he stated, although grudgingly and even though it wasn't a question.

"Good," Dumbledore replied, his eye shining in a manipulative light that Lily had never seen before. "What is he doing next?"

Again, Snape sighed and shook his head. "He thinks that Potter's kid isn't the boy of the prophecy because he was 'killed' by someone else. Other than that, I don't know. I was shooed away before that point." He looked down into his hands. "And, besides, I'm not sure anyone knows what he's doing now. Not even his favorites. He was very secretive of this."

"What does he know about the Longbottoms?" Dumbledore prodded.

Snape shrugged. "That they have wards, but aren't protected anymore than that. He wasn't concerned about them before. He thought the Potter boy would be more powerful."

Bringing a hand to his beard, Dumbledore stroked it and thought for a moment about what to do. He leaned across the table. "Sirius, Remus," he said. "Would you go retrieve the Longbottoms? I believe Hogwarts is the safest place for them as well as Lily and James until we figure out what we are going to do."

"Of course, Albus," Remus stated dutifully.

"Yeah, sure," Sirius said, his eyes still glaring at Snape and not focusing on Dumbledore at all. Remus rolled his eyes and grabbed Sirius's arm to pull him to the fireplace. The green fire quickly engulfed each of them, and the remaining adults were left to sit and think.

A loud crash of shattering glass was heard and Lily looked down. Jamie was no longer in her lap and her eyes widened. He had crawled away in the chaos. He was, in fact, on Dumbledore's desk, a lemon drop in his tiny hand and the rest of the bowl smashed on the ground.

Dumbledore chuckled and took the candy from the boy's hand. "I'm afraid you're a bit young for a lemon drop, Mr. Potter." He smiled. "But, I'm sure you'll find the occasion to be in my office come ten years. You can have one then."

The adults laughed, even Snape –although his transformed into a cough. It was one of the rare moments that Lily found herself smiling amidst the war.

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**Okay, first note: Moody's line "they fought like heroes" is an actual line from Moody about the Prewett brothers. Therefore, not mine.**

**Second note: I hope this came out good. I must have rewritten it five times because I couldn't get it right. I needed to cram so much stuff into this chapter and I'm sure this isn't my best. I just hope I got the emotions right. All the confusion and anger and fear above all else, because that is what's really fueling this chapter. If it's too jumbled, tell me. Honest truth and criticism is my favorite type of review.**

**Third note: You get to see the beginnings of Snape the Spy (and how Lily was the main cause of this switch, as in canon) and Dumbledore's manipulative qualities.**

**And finally: I want to thank all of you who have been reviewing every chapter. You're all so amazing and you gave me the inspiration to work through this chapter that gave me so much strife. **

**Thanks!**

**Now, let's see what you all think is going to happen next!**

**Review!**


	55. Part II: Prophecy Fulfilled

**Thanks again for everyone who reviewed! I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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Part II: Prophecy Fulfilled

Lily took Jamie back in her arms amidst the chuckles of the room. He reached out for Dumbledore's desk, still wanting to get at the lemon drops. The door to Dumbledore's office slammed open fiercely, causing all the adults to turn away from Jamie and to the other side of the room. Remus entered, fear alight on his face, his skin ghostly white. Michelle began to look around for Sirius, but he didn't enter. Even Severus stood, concern sent toward Remus. The werewolf strode toward Dumbledore's desk, placing his hands on the wood.

"What is it, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes focused on his former pupil yet still soft.

Remus looked shaken and didn't answer. He appeared as if he didn't know what to say. Lily could see the shock written all over his face.

"Remus, what happened?" Dumbledore said, now firmly.

"They're gone," Remus replied, tears filling his amber eyes. "Frank and Alice are gone, but Neville's alive."

Lily looked up, confusion dawning on her face. What did Remus mean, they're gone? They couldn't be dead. The Order had just lost Dorcas Meadowes and the Prewett brothers; they couldn't lose Frank and Alice Longbottom as well.

"…Sirius is still there. He's with Neville, but I thought it would be best to alert you and the rest of the Order first before we took Neville away."

Lily heard Michelle let out a breath when she heard where Sirius was. James leaned back into the chair, looking around with wide eyes as if he didn't know what was going on. Everything came falling apart in one night. First, Peter, then they found out about Dorcas and the Prewetts, now Frank and Alice.

Dumbledore nodded, as if this news wasn't surprising at all, and stood from his seat. "Severus, if you would alert Minerva and Poppy that we will soon have a young visitor?" he asked. Severus nodded and walked from the room, his robes billowing behind him. Dumbledore then turned to the rest of the room's occupants.

"And you four go get Hagrid," he directed to James, Lily, Remus, and Michelle. "Then, I would like you to retrieve the boy. Wait for the rest of the Order, but have Hagrid bring him here. The children may stay here and rest. I will have them go down to Poppy when Neville arrives."

They nodded and began to walk out. Lily looked down at Jamie, who stared back at her with frightened green eyes. He yawned tiredly, but continued to look up at his mother, wondering why everyone was teary-eyed. She kissed his forehead softly and laid him on the chair beside his brother. "I'll be back, Jamie."

She turned her back and rushed to Remus, James, and Michelle, who were already out of Dumbledore's office and walking down the corridor. James wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she suddenly felt as if she was back at Hogwarts. They weren't much older, but so much had changed. Between weddings and births and tragedy, as well as betrayal, the group had gone through so much.

They walked outside and the sun was beginning to rise. The soft golden rays sprayed against darkness that had descended over Hogwarts' lands. It looked breathtakingly beautiful, but Lily's mind was focused on what had happened and where they were going. Reaching Hagrid's hut, James knocked on the door.

Rustling was heard from inside and Hagrid swung open the door. "Alright, I'm comin'!" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He looked shocked to see the four of them. "James?" he asked. "Wha' are yeh four doin' here?"

"Dumbledore's orders," James replied. "We have to go to the Longbottoms."

"The Longbottoms?" Hagrid asked. "Why do we have to go to the Longbottoms at this hour?"

James's eyes fell to his feet and Remus took over. "Voldemort attacked them, Hagrid," he said softly, knowing it would affect Hagrid greatly. He had always liked the students of Hogwarts, and Frank and Alice were some of the ones he used to enjoy talking to and then had been friends with in the Order. "They're dead, Hagrid, but Neville's still alive."

"They're dead! How are they dead? They were some o' the best wizards I knew! Came down ter visit me sometimes, seems like yesterday," he said, his eyes watering. Then he cocked his head to the side. "And yeh say Neville's still alive? Why didn' they kill him too?"

Remus shrugged and turned around, leading the group of five away from the Hogwarts grounds. Once they had reached the apparation point, the adults all left, each with a pop. They all knew where the Longbottom house was, so there was no need to pause. They needed to get there as soon as possible.

Lily arrived and felt the small pebbles of the sidewalk under her shoes. She looked up when she heard Remus's gasp. The house had been demolished, completely flattened to the ground. "I mean, it didn't look great, but it was still standing when I left," he muttered, shaking his head and pulling at his hair with his hands. "I didn't think it'd fall..."

"Sirius!" Michelle screamed from beside Lily. She started to run and Lily felt her heart drop as she watched her best friend and then her husband run toward the rubble. Remus leaned against the fence surrounding the once-standing home.

"It's all my fault," he was muttering.

"No, it ain't," Hagrid said, not knowing what was going on. "It ain't anybody's fault."

Lily couldn't move. All she could do was stand and look at the house. She figured this is what her own house looked like and could now see how James had been so scared earlier. It was an awful feeling looking into the home and knowing that there had been people inside. There was no way anyone could have survived.

Hagrid and Remus had left her and were now searching through the rubble as well. Hagrid picked up the body of Frank Longbottom and Lily felt her eyes flood with tears. She shook her head, fearing that Sirius and Neville were gone too. Poor Neville had survived Voldemort and then died in the collapse of his home. How Neville survived Voldemort, Lily didn't know, but now it had all happened in vain.

Then, out of nowhere, a small cry pierced the air. She turned around, but there were no other houses around and no children anywhere to be seen.

"Get yourself together, Lily," she whispered to herself. She took a deep breath and then a single step toward the rubble before she heard a whine in the distance.

It wasn't any whine. It sounded like an abused dog, crying out for help. She turned around and eyed the area before she heard the most pathetic bark she had ever heard in her life come from a bush down the sidewalk from the destroyed house. She ran toward it, kneeling down and moving the branches to display little Neville Longbottom, only a few scratches on him, silently crying and hugging onto Padfoot's coal black fur.

"Oh, Sirius," she said, running her hand nervously over his coat. It was soaked and when she removed her hand from his fur she gasped, seeing Sirius's warm blood on her hand. He let out a small whine and the tiniest wag of his tail. It appeared that his back leg was broken, which meant he had limped to the bushes with Neville.

She turned her head away and shouted. "James!" she screamed as Sirius switched back into human form, his face translucent like Nearly Headless Nick's and his breathing ragged. "James!"

James was there almost immediately. Lily picked up little Neville and cradled the one year old in her arms as the others began to run toward them. Neville's cries became louder and louder, and he buried his head in Lily's shoulder, reminding her of Jamie. She usually soothed her own son by running her hand through his thick black hair, so she did this to the little boy now occupying her arms.

This, however, didn't work for Neville, who continued to sob. He reached out for Sirius as Hagrid bent down to pick him up, trying his best to accommodate for his injuries. "He'll be just fine, Neville," she whispered, bringing him close to her. "Everything will be okay. Shhh."

Neville looked up at her and she frowned. Right in the center of his forehead was a scar; one that was different from the cuts and scrapes covering the rest of his face. It was the shape of a lightning bolt. She ran her finger across it and it appeared to already be healed.

"Remus?" she asked, knowing James and Michelle were too occupied with Sirius.

"What is it, Lily?" Remus walked toward her, seeing Neville in her arms. "Is he alright?"

"Do you know why this is different from the others?" she asked, running her hand over the lightning bolt shaped scar once more.

Remus looked at it for a few moments and then shook his head. "It's dark magic, Lily," he said, tracing it with his own finger. "Like the scars on James from the time I…" He faltered a bit, the look on his face showing the grief from the incident that had happened in their seventh year. "We need to bring him to Dumbledore though."

Lily looked down at Neville once more. His sobs had died down and he yawned, leaning his head on Lily's shoulder. She felt her heart break for him. He would never have his mother to hold him again. Alice had been a wonderful mother and Neville would never know her they way he should have gotten the chance. Frank had been a great father and Neville would never know him either.

She tightened her hold on him as she began to ready herself so she could apparate to Hogwarts. James, Michelle, and Hagrid were already gone with Sirius. She turned to Remus and he nodded to her. "Take him. I'll stay here and wait for the rest of the Order."

Nodding, she felt the jerking and spinning associated with the type of travel but before long she was just outside the Hogwarts gates. She ran through, knowing Neville needed to be taken to Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey. Rain began to beat down, even as the sun began to shine, lightly covering Lily and Neville as they rushed toward the doors to the castle. Neville began to whimper, tearfully clutching on to Lily as a crack of thunder exploded through the area.

Lily pulled open the thick doors and walked down the corridors to the Hospital Wing where she found Dumbledore talking in hushed tones with Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall. Jamie, Logan, and Kaida were sleeping on one of the beds that was unoccupied by resting students. Neville gave a fierce cry, but none of the sleeping children or teenagers woke from their slumbers.

"Lily?" Dumbledore said in mild shock, looking around the room. "Where's Hagrid?"

McGonagall looked up at Dumbledore with a smug look, her lips placed in a restrained line. "I told you not to trust him with something so delicate," she muttered softly, so softly that Lily could barely hear.

Lily walked forward to place Neville on the bed the three adults were nearest to before turning to her former professors. "Hagrid took Sirius to St. Mungo's," she whispered, not wanting to wake the students.

An alarmed expression fell across McGonagall's features. "What happened?" she asked, her voice shrill from shock. Lily looked over at the students and, noting that they were still sleeping, she figured that some type of charm had been placed on them.

"The house collapsed," Lily told them in a regular voice. "Sirius, by the looks of it, shielded Neville with his body."

Dumbledore was no longer paying attention to her and instead he was focused on baby Neville. He found the odd shaped scar on Neville's forehead and gently touched it with his fingers. He sighed. "Touched by dark magic," he muttered, sighing again.

McGonagall now became intrigued as well. Lily looked up at her former headmaster as McGonagall asked, "What could have happened, Albus?"

He patted the boy's head with his hand and then turned to the adults surrounding him. "I believe that Voldemort attempted to kill Neville," he explained quietly, "after Frank and Alice, but he was unsuccessful."

"But, I don't understand," McGonagall said, shaking her head. "How could that happen? The Killing Curse –"

"Ah, yes, the Killing Curse," Dumbledore interrupted, still staring at Neville's scar, as if suddenly realizing something. "No one has ever survived it." He thought for a moment and then shook his head. "He's been marked as the equal."

McGonagall and Pomfrey stared at Dumbledore in confusion, but Lily knew what he meant. He was speaking of the prophecy. This meant the prophecy had been fulfilled. Neville had been marked as Voldemort's equal and therefore was the one to vanquish him. It meant they were safe.

She looked up at Dumbledore. "Does this mean he's gone?" she asked hopefully. The boy of the prophecy had the power to vanquish the Dark Lord, so did that mean little Neville, with the scar on his forehead, had actually done it? Was Voldemort gone for good? Finding her voice again, she asked, "Is he gone forever?"

"I fear not," Dumbledore said solemnly. "If Voldemort is gone, then I believe it is only for a while and he will be back. I will have the Order looking for him to make sure he is truly gone."

McGonagall and Pomfrey both shuddered at Voldemort's name, but McGonagall recovered quickly. She looked up at Dumbledore with a frown on her face. "Wait, I still don't understand," she muttered quietly. "What exactly happened?"

"As I told you before Lily and Neville arrived," Dumbledore told her, "Frank and Alice are gone, killed by Lord Voldemort."

McGonagall and Pomfrey had tears in their eyes, remembering the former Hogwarts students. Lily felt her eyes dampen as well. Dumbledore continued on. "Neville, however, survived. And, after seeing the scar on his forehead, I believe that Voldemort attempted to kill him as well." He turned to the little boy with a warm smile. "But, something happened, and Neville survived. We may never know what happened, but we must live in the present, as we have much to be thankful for."

Lily walked away from the small group and toward the bed that held her boys and Kaida. They were all resting peacefully, not knowing anything about what was going on. They blissfully slept through everything, and for that she was thankful. Carefully gathering Kaida in her arms, she walked back toward the group of adults.

"Would you mind watching Jamie and Logan while I bring Kaida to St. Mungo's?" she asked. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall both nodded, McGonagall even going far enough to say, "Of course, bring her to her parents, Merlin knows it'll be good for Sirius to see her."

She smiled and walked toward the nearest fireplace. Shouting her destination, she quickly found herself in the lobby of St. Mungo's. The Welcome Witch looked to be worn out from constant greetings that came with the war. Lily wanted to get out of the way and quickly asked where she could find Sirius Black at the front desk. She was directed to "Ground Floor: Artifact Accidents."

As she entered the wards of the ground floor, a mediwitch stopped her to ask if she needed directions to a patient.

"Sirius Black," Lily said, looking around at the different people rushing around trying to look for loved ones.

The mediwitch smiled and looked down at her sheets. "Is that your daughter?" she asked, while scanning for Sirius's name. "She's absolutely adorable."

"Oh, no," Lily said, shaking her head and looking down at the sleeping Kaida. She looked more like Sirius than she did Michelle with her blue-gray eyes and facial structure, but she did have her mother's blonde hair. "She's my goddaughter," she continued.

The mediwitch continued to smile and looked up. "Mr. Black is in his own room, number 219," she stated kindly. "Right down the hall. There are not many patients to this ward nowadays. They're usually up in Spell Damage."

"Thank you," Lily said before quickly walking down the hallway. Down at the end was Sirius's room. The door was slightly ajar, but she knocked softly before entering. Sirius was asleep in the bed, a few empty potion bottles on the table beside him in the cramped room. James smiled at her when she entered and Michelle looked at her in relief.

"Oh, Lily, thank you," she exclaimed, standing from her seat beside Sirius and taking her daughter in her arms.

"Don't mention it," Lily replied, walking to stand beside James. He looked down at her, placing a hand on her cheek and looking into her eyes.

"What did Dumbledore say?" he asked. "About Neville, that is?"

Lily shook her head. "He's not sure yet, but he thinks Voldemort is gone for now. He's going to have the Order looking for him."

James nodded, letting the information sink in slowly. He closed his eyes, taking the news in, and then smiled down at her. "That means we're safe," he said slowly. "The boys are safe."

"For now," Lily said, trying to smile but finding it hard when she remembered the look in Neville's eyes when she had held him. "Until Voldemort comes back."

He let out a sigh and then wrapped his arms around her. "Let's not think about that now," he told her. "We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, the boys are safe, Sirius is going to be alright, the traitor's gone, and we can be a big happy family once more."

"Yes," Lily said, spinning around in James's arms to see that Sirius was beginning to stir as the door to the room opened, revealing a tired Remus. Through the window, the sun was shining. "Yes, we can."

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**So, what do you think? A lot has happened in this one night, huh?**

**Also, I know Sirius didn't have an artifact accident, but that seemed like the plausible floor to put someone on who had been crushed by a house. Somehow, Magical Bugs, Potion and Plant Poisoning, and Creature Induced Injuries didn't seem right... :)**

**So, as we're approaching 60 chapters and Voldy's gone for now, there aren't many more to go. But, never fear, I could always write a sequel or something. Would you all like that? Plus, I promised a few people I would write the canon version of Part II as well.**

**Review!**


	56. Part II: Potter Delectation

**Okay, sorry about the wait. School starts on Thursday and I had to finish my summer homework…which I neglected all summer…oops.**

**Anyway. Hope you enjoy!**

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Part II: Potter Delectation

_23 September 1981, The Evening Prophet_

_**You-Know-Who Rumored to Have Disappeared**_

_Although specific facts cannot be pinpointed at this precise moment, it is rumored that the Dark Lord, You-Know-Who, has disappeared. Witches and wizards around the UK have begun celebrating even at this late hour. We at the Prophet have sent out correspondents to find out what exactly happened to You-Know-Who and what we can expect in the days to come._

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_24 September 1981, The Daily Prophet_

_**You-Know-Who Gone, Dumbledore Reveals**_

_It has been revealed by Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, as well as Order of Merlin, First Class, and Grand Sorcerer, has stated that You-Know-Who is gone._

_"It would appear that Voldemort has fled for the time being," Dumbledore said when Daily Prophet Correspondent Rita Skeeter interviewed him earlier this morning. "During this time we have many things to be thankful for, but I believe the celebrations are premature. This is not over."_

_While it is not over, You-Know-Who has been weakened. It is unknown as of yet what has caused this and what has become of You-Know-Who's location._

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_24 September 1981, The Evening Prophet_

_**Neville Longbottom, Boy-Who-Lived**_

_Neville Longbottom, the infant son of the recently deceased Frank and Alice Longbottom, has been declared the "Boy-Who-Lived" by Ministry officials. Longbottom, born 30 July 1980, survived the Killing Curse at his home late yesterday night. The curse, cast by You-Know-Who himself, is believed to be the reason for the Dark Lord's weakened state and disappearance. _

_Neville Longbottom is the only person known to have survived the Killing Curse. Frank and Alice Longbottom were killed that night by You-Know-Who, most definitely by the same curse. It is unclear how the boy survived and Albus Dumbledore has declined comment. Ministry officials will be looking into this shocking development and Neville will be placed in the care of his paternal grandmother, Augusta Longbottom._

_The funeral for Frank and Alice Longbottom will be held at a later date._

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_1 October 1981, The Daily Prophet_

_**Naptime for the Boy-Who-Lived**_

_Augusta Longbottom, grandmother of the Boy-Who-Lived Neville Longbottom, has moved out of her home near London and has found a private residence which is not being let out to the public. This is, supposedly, an idea from Albus Dumbledore, who wishes for the little hero to grow up out of the public eye. It is unclear when we will hear from or about Neville again, but he will start Hogwarts in September of 1991._

_Good luck until then, Neville Longbottom, Boy-Who-Lived!_

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_8 October 1981, The Evening Prophet_

_**Former Death Eaters Sent to Azkaban for Healer's Murder**_

_Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, his brother Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr have been arrested and sent to Azkaban prison for the murder of Muggleborn Healer Michael Harrison. Harrison, who specialized in the pregnancies of Muggleborn witches, was tortured into insanity by the group of former Death Eaters before being killed by Crouch in front of Aurors Alastor Moody and Rufus Scrimgeour. The four were sentenced before the Wizengamot earlier today and have already been transported to Azkaban prison. The streets are safe once more!_

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_15 October 1981, The Daily Prophet_

_**Chudley Cannons Lose Again**_

_The Chudley Cannons have increased this season's 12-game losing streak to 13 with a loss against Puddlemere United 360 - 20. They will play the Caerphilly Catapults in Wales on Saturday. Make your bets now!_

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As it always did, things went back to normal. The sudden bursts of celebration died down; Dedalus Diggle's shooting stars over Kent were pushed into the backs of people's minds. In a month, wizards and witches began their lives again, not fearing that every corner would bring them face to face with Voldemort. After the sentencing of the Lestranges and Crouch, a majority of the Death Eaters had been sent to Azkaban or were quietly attempting to rejoin society. The front page of the _Prophet _was no longer covered with the terrified face of Neville Longbottom, but information that looked dull and ordinary in contrast.

And, just like for the rest of society, things began to return to normal for the Potters as well. With their home rebuilt – although the Muggles wondered how it could be rebuilt so quickly, so Lily and James would just laugh it off, telling them "time goes by so fast, doesn't it?" whenever someone asked – they had moved back into Godric's Hollow. During the week that they had rebuilt their house, Muggle-like in the morning and magically at night, they had lived at The Orchard with Sirius and Michelle.

Little Kaida was becoming as big a hit in Godric's Hollow as her godbrothers as the small girl was constantly seen with the two. Sirius and Michelle visited frequently, as did Remus. Some days Lily and James would watch Kaida so her parents could have a day to themselves, other days Sirius and Michelle watched Logan and Jamie, while sometimes Remus would take the three to the park.

It was toward the end of October, on a day that Sirius and Michelle had taken the three youngsters into London, that Lily heard James's soft footsteps on the other side of the bedroom door. She was curled up with her arms wrapped around her stomach, her eyes wet with tears. The door opened, but she didn't look up to see James walk in. She felt him lay down beside her, stroking her shoulder with his fingers.

"Lils," he said quietly, lifting her chin so she would face him. "Everything will be okay."

She knew he was right. At the end of September, after Dumbledore had called the final Order meeting where he told the remaining members that he thought Voldemort's disappearance was temporary, Lily and James had decided it would be a good time to add onto their growing family. They didn't want a large age gap between Logan, Jamie, and the new baby, especially since Logan and Jamie were less than a year apart themselves.

Now, a month later, Lily had found out that she wasn't pregnant.

"Lily, look at me," James said as she tried to look away. "There are people out there who have tried for years and still don't have children."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she muttered.

She shook her head. This experience of waiting was entirely new to her and she knew that she shouldn't be acting like she was. But with both Logan and Jamie she hadn't been expecting to get pregnant. They were, for lack of a better word, pleasant surprises. She and James had never actually tried to get pregnant before and now that they wanted to try, she found it was a lot harder than she thought.

"I'm just saying," James continued. "We're young, Voldemort's gone. We have time."

"What if it doesn't happen?" she asked, looking up to see James's reaction.

He just smiled at her. "Then, it doesn't happen," he shrugged. "We already have two great boys. If it's meant to be it will happen, if not we've still got Logan and Jamie."

"Okay," she said softly.

He looked at her skeptically. "_Are_ you okay?"

She thought for a moment. She knew it had been naïve for her to believe she could become pregnant at the snap of her fingers. James was right, they would still have Logan and Jamie, but she wanted to give them a sibling, a brother. And, as bad as it seemed, she'd already been thinking about having her three little boys running around. Plus, she'd always loved the name Harry, even when she was a child.

"We'll try again," James said, bringing her out of her thoughts. "We just have to be patient. It'll take some time and effort. But, it's only been a month, Lily, don't give up yet."

"I'm not," she said, leaning her head into James's chest. "I'm just disappointed."

He hugged her tightly. "I'd be surprised if you weren't."

Lily didn't know how long they stayed there. She fell asleep, James's arms secure around her, and when she awoke he was in the same spot. He hadn't moved a muscle, except that of his eyelids which had lowered over his hazel orbs. Gently wriggling from his arms as not to wake him, she took his glasses from his face and set them on the bedside table.

It was amazing to Lily how the house hadn't changed. It was almost as if it hadn't collapsed and was still the same as it had been before Severus destroyed it to protect them. She pushed open the door to Logan's room and stood in the doorway. His bed hadn't been made and toys were scattered over the floor. A toy hippogriff was flying in the air, stretching its wings before Logan came home and wanted to play.

Across the hall was Jamie's room. His toys were neatly in their baskets, sorted by type and color. She often laughed while watching her younger son, whose favorite activity seemed to be putting the toys away and taking them back out to sort them again. He was a lot like her and was going to be a neat-freak, something Sirius found extraordinarily funny because Jamie was more like Lily than his own namesake, James.

"Irony," James would laugh, taking Jamie into his arms. "But, even so, it's not like we could have named him after Lily."

"You could have named him Evan," Sirius would respond.

"Shut up, Sirius!" James would yell and Sirius would bark with laughter.

At the end of the hall was the guest bedroom, but she didn't dare enter it. Instead, she walked by the slightly ajar door, knowing if she walked in she would begin to decorate the room for a baby in her mind. She made her way down the stairs and into the living room where she would wait for Sirius and Michelle to bring the boys back.

The front door opened almost immediately after she sat down on the couch and Sirius's ranting voice filled the air. She shook her head and smiled, standing from her seat as Logan rushed into the room and hugged her leg. She patted his head and raised an eyebrow at Sirius. "What are you going on about now?" she asked as he entered the room, Michelle behind him. She was holding Jamie and Kaida's hands.

"Have you ever seen the Muggle Halloween costumes?" he asked in disbelief. "Their witches are green! They're _green_!"

Lily began to laugh. Sirius raised his eyebrows at her before stepping forward and glaring at her. "Are you laughing at me, Mrs. Potter?" he asked.

She put on her best innocent look, but knew she was going up against a Marauder and would lose. "I don't know," she teased. "Am I, Mr. Black?"

"Back away from my wife, Sirius!" James shouted from the doorway, a smile spread across his face.

"She's making fun of me, James!" he yelled back like a toddler. He smirked. "I was going to teach her a lesson."

James rolled his eyes, but kept the joke going. "Oh, well, then, by all means," he said seriously. "Behead her, but make sure I get the head back. I'd like to mount it over the fireplace."

Logan's eyes widened at his father and Sirius barked with laughter, picking up the little boy and tossing him gently in the air. The little boy squealed in excitement as he fell into his godfather's arms. Sirius threw Logan gently over his shoulder, causing his godson to giggle and pound his back lightly. Then, Sirius seemed to remember something, and turned to James in outrage. "You will never believe it!" he exclaimed. "The Muggles think we're green!"

Lily and Michelle burst into laughter at the look of confusion on James's face. "What?" he asked. "What did you do to make the Muggles think you're green?"

"No, not me!" Sirius replied, waving his free arm in the air. "Everyone! The little kid Halloween costumes, have you seen them? The witches have green masks!"

James rolled his eyes, but nonetheless looked rather shocked. "Why would they think that?" he asked.

"I don't know!"

"Trick or treat!" Logan yelled, still hanging off Sirius's shoulder.

Lily smiled and walked over to take Logan off of Sirius and into her arms. She grinned down at him as he struggled to get down. "We'll have to get you a costume!" she said, setting him on the ground. "That way you can go trick or treating."

Across the room, Jamie yawned. James picked him up and he snuggled his head into the crook his father's neck. "Looks like somebody's tired," James whispered.

Lily smiled and turned to Kaida. She had abandoned Michelle's hand and was walking, rather wobbly, toward Sirius. She watched Jamie relax in James's arms before reaching her own little hands up toward her father. "Daddy!" she insisted, opening and closing her outstretched hands attempting to get his attention. Finally, Sirius picked her up and she smiled at him, nestling her head into his shoulder much like Jamie had done.

"Time for a nap, Princess," he said, before turning back to Lily and James. "Hope you guys had a nice break while we were gone."

Lily looked up at James and just grinned, albeit unconvincingly. "Yeah, thanks," he mumbled.

Michelle sent her a look and Lily just shook her off. Figuring that she didn't want to talk about it, Michelle left without saying anything. Even though it had been brought up in her mind, Lily didn't have much time to think about not being pregnant. Logan, always the little chatterbox, had gone into detail about the trip into London. For a nearly two and a half year old, he was extremely talkative, just like James, even if half the time Lily and James couldn't figure out what he was talking about. He would go off onto tangents and mumble sometimes before screaming out something that had excited him.

"I see big man," he said, his blue eyes wide with excitement. "Blue and green hair, big feet, red nose!"

James turned to Lily. "I thought they went into Muggle London," he whispered as Logan continued to talk about the funny-looking man.

"They did," she replied, remembering that James hadn't grown up in the Muggle world like she had and didn't think Muggles dressed like that. "I think he's talking about a clown."

Turning away from Lily, James looked down at Jamie, who was sleeping in his arms. He eyed Logan for a moment before walking to his older son. "You tired, Logan?" he asked. Logan shook his head, but a yawn escaped, making his parents laugh. "Naptime," James said, patting Logan on the head.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, running across the room to Lily. He looked up at her with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Love you, Mummy!"

"Love you too, Logan," she said as he turned around and raced up the stairs.

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**Yes, a filler chapter. But there's a few things I hope you picked up for the coming chapters…**

**Also, as you can tell, I had Voldemort attack in September instead of October. The 23****rd**** of September in 1981 is the first day of fall or autumnal equinox, which is why I picked it to be the day Voldemort attacked the Longbottoms so it's like the beginning of fall brings a new beginning…**

**Review!**


	57. Epilogue

**First of all, I want to say this: I AM SO SORRY! The last time I posted was the day before school started. This is pathetic. But, as I have pretty much finished applications and have completely completed my SATs and other college application fun, I will have more time to write here. Again, I'm so sorry about the lack of updates.**

**So, I wrote this up and it's rather long – 3307 words. This is for all of you who continue to read even after my horrible lack of updating and leaving you waiting for the final chapter.**

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_Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."_

_-Anthony Brandt_

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Epilogue – Ten Years Later

The sun shone through the window, casting a gentle golden light on the two trunks placed side by side next to the front door. The letters written on the mahogany wood seemed to be illuminated, sparkling displays of each boy's initials. The one closest to the door, having the initials LHP, had a broomstick, the Cleansweep Seven, laid across the top and the end of a red and gold scarf sticking out from the closed lid. The other, emblazoned with the initials JEP, glistened with newness.

September had come too soon once again, for Lily Potter's liking. Just as she had done the previous year, she would send a son – this year two – off to school, finally realizing a parent's grief of sending children to boarding school. It seemed that each time break came around the previous year, Logan's clothes were outgrown and the inches between the top of his head and James's were shrinking.

And, as a mother, she hated missing this. She hated that she would send him off and in December he'd come back twice as tall, looking more and more like his father than he had when he'd left. Now she would send Jamie off, fearing the day the two came back as, not young boys, but grown men.

Luckily for Lily, she still had her little baby.

Not that Harry was a baby any longer. Having just turned nine, he was far from the tiny bundle she had been so thankful to hold in her arms one July afternoon. As panic stricken as she was when she hadn't been pregnant the moment she wanted to be, she hadn't had to wait long. The next month, the news had been confirmed and on the thirty-first of July 1982, her little baby boy had graced them with his presence.

James had been the one to choose his name. Lily's idea had been Harry James, after months of trying to figure out a suitable first name that wasn't Harold so Harry could be his nickname. James, however, knew it was because she was giving up that she had finally said Harry would make an okay first name (although for years he had heard her complain about how she wanted him to have a not so nickname-like first name). Also, for James, it wouldn't work. They already had a son named Jamison, so a middle name of James was out of the question for Harry.

"Leave it to me," James had told her in June, leaving her to wonder for a month what he had up his sleeve.

The name, she had to admit, was very nice. After consulting his family tree, James found that the third son in every Potter family was named Calix, a Greek name meaning very handsome. His middle name came from her previous healer, Michael Harrison, who had been killed by Bellatrix Lestrange and a few others after being tortured into insanity. So, when the little baby was born, perfectly healthy and on time – if anything a few weeks after the due date – the name Calix Harrison Potter was presented to their group of friends.

Lily sighed and sat down at the table, almost wishing the silence to disappear. The house would be quiet enough before long and all she wanted was to hear the three boys laughing and fooling around once more. This often made her wonder if her parents felt the same way when they sent her off to school. Of course, they had had Petunia to ease their hearts.

Shaking her head, she walked to steaming kettle, which she had been ignoring, and poured the scalding water into her cup of tea. There were a few creeks from above her and she smiled, grabbing another cup for James. Her boys would no doubt want pumpkin juice instead of tea and she would get it when they came down. In the last few moments of quiet, she sat down at the table and listened as the creeks became noises and voices of the Potter boys.

A frantic scurrying of feet were making their way toward the stairs and, before she could even register what was happening, Jamie had run into the kitchen, his school uniform already on and his face alight with worry. "I can't find my tie!" he said, his bright green eyes browsing the room. "I had it on my desk and now it's gone!"

Lily knew this was the nerves. Any other day, her middle son would have blamed the missing tie on one of his brothers. And, on any other day, she would have believed him. Jamie's room was always neat and organized and if the tie was missing someone had taken it.

"Maybe it fell on the floor?" she tried.

Jamie shook his head. "I checked there! And the cat doesn't have it," he said. "Logan said if I don't have a tie they won't let me on the train. I have to find it, Mum!"

His final sentence was reason enough to suspect the tie could be found across the hall in Logan's room. She stood, signaling for him to lead the way, and followed him up the stairs. While Jamie was frantically whispering to himself, attempting to recall the last place he had seen it, Lily heard James's boisterous yell.

"Good morning, Logan!" she heard him yell in a singsong voice. "Rise and shine!"

"Dad!" She shook her head at the moan in her oldest son's voice.

"Get up, up, up!"

"Dad! Okay! I'm up!"

She reached the landing just in time to see James walk out of Logan's room, a smug expression on his face, with his son sluggishly following behind him. Logan stormed across the hall and into the bathroom, where he soundly slammed the door. Grinning, James turned to her. He was fiddling with a black tie around his neck, tying it and untying it. He held it out in front of him. "Hey, Jamie, is this yours?"

Jamie rushed forward, taking it swiftly out of his father's hands. He quickly tied it around his neck to keep it safe and in his possession. "Where did you find it?" he asked.

"Logan's room," James said, ruffling Jamie's hair. "And, since he lost his last year, I figured it belonged to you."

Lily heard Jamie sigh with relief. He turned to face her. She had to marvel at how much he looked like James had in first year. Even though he had her eye color, everything else about him screamed James from the untidy mop of black hair to his father's horrible vision, which he had been the only one to inherit. Taking one look at him, all of her Hogwarts memories, both good and bad, rushed back to her.

But, it was in that moment that she realized she didn't recall the specifics. She remembered certain moments, but mostly she remembered vague feelings. She remembered hating James and then getting to know and love him as if she had never hated him before. She distantly recalled her friends being heartsick over some boy whose name was now lost in the far regions of her mind.

She remembered the people though, or at least their faces. She could see the faces of Cecily Van Buren, Ivy Burns, Frank Longbottom, Alice Prewett, her father – all lost now in one way or another. On happier notes, she remembered Remus, Michelle, and Sirius in their first years of school, and even Peter Pettigrew, who she had intentionally tried to forget.

The war, the fear and paranoia, now took up much of her head. She doubted that anyone could forget the terrible times that had destroyed so many lives. But, as well as the war, she remembered each of her boys' first steps and words. These milestones held a special place in her heart. Her head was filled with war, her heart with loving memories.

"Mum?" Jamie asked and she shook herself out of her thoughts.

"My, don't you look handsome," she said, walking forward and loosening the tie, which was tied snuggly around his neck.

His cheeks tinged red and his eyes fell to the floor. "Mum…" he whined softly.

She kissed his forehead and smiled down at him. "Come on, I'll make you some breakfast before we have to leave," she said, motioning her head toward the stairs. Once Jamie had started walking to kitchen, she looked to James. "Will you wake Harry?"

James smiled. "Easier said than done," he told her walking toward the room of their youngest son. "He could sleep through anything."

She smirked at him before calling out to Logan, telling him to hurry if he wanted breakfast, and walking down the stairs. Jamie had already taken out the bowls and poured himself Muggle cereal. "Are you sure you don't want something else?" she asked. "Bacon, eggs, sausage?"

He smiled up at her, but shook his head nonetheless. "No," he said. "This is fine."

She let it slide, having a feeling that he was trying to keep normalcy while the rest of his family was running around bludgers trying to make sure everything was perfect. He was already worried about school, she could see it in his eyes, as well as in the incident with the tie, and he was attempting to keep everything around him the same as it would be on a normal day.

A loud shriek erupted from above them and Lily shook her head. James walked down the stairs and greeted them, Harry draped over his shoulder and pounding his back. "Put me down!" he exclaimed, his feet kicking in all different directions.

"Alright," James said, pretending to let go, which made Harry latch on and stop kicking. James laughed hardily and Jamie sniggered into his cereal.

"James!" Lily hissed, but it was met with a boyish grin from her husband.

He set Harry down in a chair and then sat down, pulling a Daily Prophet to his eyes. Lily placed a plate in front of Harry and noticed his eyes were downcast. "What's wrong, love?" she asked.

"It's not fair," he said, lifting his head for her to see. His hazel eyes, exact replicas of James's, stared back at her with sorrow. "I want to go to Hogwarts, too!"

She took a good look at her nine year old. His black mop of hair was messy from sleep. The light dusting of freckles on his face nearly blended into his sun kissed skin. "You'll go when you're old enough," Lily said reminded of Petunia's want to go to Hogwarts. However, unlike his aunt, Harry would be able to attend. "Not too much longer, Harry, I promise."

"Besides," James interjected. "You get all of us all to yourself. Me, Mum, Sirius, Michelle, Remus."

Harry smiled, his eyes lighting up. "When you put it that way..." he said slyly, shooting a sideways glance toward his older brother. Jamie just rolled his eyes, taking another spoonful of cereal as thunderous footsteps sounded from the staircase.

The rest of her morning continued in a blur. As she made sure everything was set to go for their trip to King's Cross Station, time sped by and brotherly fights ensued. Harry attempted to steal Logan's broom and fly it throughout the house - that is, until James stopped him and transfigured the Cleensweep into a household cleaning tool. Jamie and Logan continued the argument they had started the night before about whether or not there were Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest.

And, the argument continued as they walked to the car, trunks rolling obediently behind them. "Jamie, trust me," Logan stated. "Fred and George Weasley told me that Hagrid brought them in years ago. They even said that they're his _pets_!"

"Dumbledore would never allow there to be Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest. They eat people!" Jamie hissed as they climbed into the backseat of the car. "Besides, they're native to Southeast Asia, specifically Borneo, and I don't think Hagrid travelled there just to get Acromantula."

"How do you know they're native to Borneo?" Logan asked, a disgusted look filling his facial features. "Better yet, I don't want to know what book you read to learn that. You are going to break the Potter tradition of being in Gryffindor!"

Lily turned around, ready to reprimand Logan, but James's groan beat her to it. "Logan, just because Jamie likes to read doesn't mean he'll be in Ravenclaw. Your mother was in Gryffindor."

"And reading isn't a bad thing to do," Lily adding, playfully punching James in the air.

"At least I know how to read," Jamie smirked.

Harry laughed from his seat between his feuding brothers, clearly enjoying the back and forth arguments. Lily rolled her eyes and turned around. The trip to King's Cross continued with Jamie and Logan's bickering slowing and then starting again, but by the time the family arrived, the two were in good spirits, their eyes wide in anticipation of their newest adventures. And, when they walked into the station, each boy pulling their trunk, Lily holding onto Harry's hand so he would be sucked into the crowd of Muggles, they seemed like a normal family.

"Packed with Muggles as always," James said as he watched two collide while trying to switch from one train to the next. "I wonder what's so special about September first."

Lily just shrugged, noticing one man watching their sons pull trunks with owls in cages. She quickly hurried them along, getting lost in the mass of people trying to get from one place to another.

"So you won't be mad if I'm not in Gryffindor?" Jamie asked Logan as James watched the numbers of the platforms.

Logan smirked. "Nah, I suppose not...unless you're a slimy Slytherin. Then I won't talk to you."

Jamie stopped, his eyes wide and caused a woman to trip over his trunk. She went skidding across the floor, landing with a hard thump. Lily quickly ushered Jamie along, looking back sympathetically at the woman who glared in response. Out of her ear, Lily could hear the boys' argument as she uttered her apologies. The woman didn't say a word and merely continued walking, huffing to herself.

"She's mean," Harry stated when she wasn't quite out of hearing range. The woman turned back but a group of men walked between them, attempting to get on a train that was boarding its final passengers.

"I won't be a Slytherin!" Jamie said, now looking more nervous than he'd appeared all morning. "Why would I be a Slytherin?"

Logan shrugged, a playful expression on his face. "I dunno, J, you fit the category real well. Cunning, sly, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised..."

"Logan," Lily warned.

"Found it!" James shouted. "Platform nine and three quarters. I'll go first to meet you on the other side."

James disappeared into the barrier separating platforms nine and ten. Logan and Jamie both looked up at her and Lily nodded to the barrier. "Go ahead, Logan. You next. Jamie, just follow him."

The oldest of her sons smirked at his brother. "Hey, I'll scope out Malfoy for you. I'm sure you two can be friends." He laughed before rushing to the barrier, disappearing, Jamie right on his tail.

"You ready?" she asked Harry. The little boy smiled, nodding his head and beginning to pull her toward the barrier. Within seconds they had gone through and entered the platform.

It was just as bustling at the Muggle platforms with students of all ages hugging their parents or rushing to join friends on the cherry red engine. Lily remembered herself, so many years before, acting the same as these kids. She spotted James helping Logan and Jamie put their trunks on the train and began searching the platform for more familiar faces that she knew would be coming.

Harry's hand let go of hers and she immediately turned to her side, making sure he hadn't run off. Instead, she noticed Harry was gone and in his place was Sirius Black, Harry, laughing, on his shoulders.

"How are you, Lils?" he asked, his famous smile taking over his face and lighting up his eyes.

"I'm fine," she replied, eying him. "How are you is the real question."

Sirius shook his head, his smile faltering somewhat as he looked in the distance where James was helping his sons load their belongings. "I feel old," he said, turning around to look at the entrance to the platform. "I can't believe she's eleven already."

Lily turned and smiled, seeing her best friend since her first year explaining something to, what must have been, a Muggleborn's family. The man and woman looked around with wide eyes, much like Lily's own parents had years before, as Michelle pointed to the train. Standing in front of the parents was a small girl with bushy brown hair, a look of fear spread across her features. It was then that Kaida emerged from behind the group; she sprinted past Lily and Sirius to Jamie, nearly knocking over people who blocked her path, and jumped on his back. Her laughter echoed through the station, covering Michelle's protests of her daughter's behavior.

"Sirius! Your daughter is causing havoc!" Michelle exclaimed as she walked toward her husband and best friend. The Muggle family followed behind her, still looking around in wonder.

"What did you expect?" he asked, pointing to himself. "You knew what you were getting into when you married me."

Michelle rolled her eyes and turned to Lily. "Lils, this is Mr. and Mrs. Granger. We helped them onto the platform. Their daughter's Muggleborn and I told them you were Muggleborn too."

Lily recognized her parents in the Grangers. They looked worriedly at their young daughter as her eyes scanned the platform. It reminded her of her first trip to King's Cross when she was eleven years old, her parents dutifully following behind her, leaving her to a world they would never be a part of. She smiled at the parents. "Don't worry," she said with a smile. "She'll be just fine."

This seemed to calm their nerves, as Mrs. Granger smiled. Their daughter began walking away to put her trunk on the train and they followed behind her, still looking around at the surroundings. As the little family walked off, Lily turned to find her own. Sirius had since let Harry off his shoulders and the boy was currently talking to Logan as he walked toward the group of adults.

"I'm going to get on the train, Mum," Logan said, nodding off to one of the windows where a boy and a girl had their heads sticking out. "Katie and Tom are waiting."

"Alright," she said, taking him into her arms, remembering for a moment when he was much younger and wouldn't want to leave her side. She kissed his cheek and looked in his crystalline blue eyes. "You watch out for your brother."

He nodded before ruffling Harry's hair and running off toward the train, stopped only momentarily to say goodbye to his father. As Logan ran off, Jamie and Kaida walked forward. Sirius lifted his daughter in the air, spinning her around, and Lily turned to her son. She could tell he was still nervous, so she pulled him into a hug and kissed his forehead. "Don't let Logan scare you," she said, whispering into his ear so no one would hear but him. "Everyone is in your shoes. Your father and I don't care which house you're in as long as you're happy."

"Okay," Jamie breathed, pulling away from her.

"Mum!" Harry exclaimed suddenly, rushing over and pulling on her arm. "Look! It's Neville Longbottom! It's the boy-who-lived!"

"Harry, don't stare," she hissed, refusing to turn around as an example. She knew that Neville Longbottom had a tough life and would become the center of media attention. Harry watched Neville for a few more moments before turning away, interested in something else. The whistle on the train sounded, signaling they didn't have much time left.

Kaida smiled at Jamie, tucking a piece of blond hair behind her ear. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, nervously fiddling with his glasses. And the two grinned, waving a final time to their parents as they raced each other to the train.

Lily watched eagerly in the windows, waiting for two black haired boys to stick their heads out. She spotted Logan first and three compartments down was where she saw Jamie and Kaida. James wrapped his arm around her. "They will be fine," he told her.

"I know," she said, watching as the train began to leave the station. She watched as a little redheaded girl, no doubt a Weasley, began racing after it, wanting desperately to be on it as well. It was when the train had disappeared from view that Harry, who had surprised her by not chasing the train as well, looked up at Lily and James.

"Can we go home?" he asked.

"Let's go," James replied, waving to Sirius and Michelle as Harry led the way toward the barrier so the family could return to their home.

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**Okay, so that's that. Now, it's your turn. You get to tell me what you want to see now. Do you want to see their first year? Or something else? A lot of you expressed interest in a continuation of this. **

**And, thank you so much for reading. You all have been so great with your reviews and I am so grateful for all of you. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Words don't seem to be enough because your reviews truly make my day.**

**So, drop a note on what you'd like to see!**

**Thanks again.**


	58. Author's Note

Hey guys!

I've been getting a lot of PM's lately about a sequel and I was wondering how many people would be interested in one. So, would you like one? I've got a few ideas.

Thanks!


	59. Author's Note 2

Hey guys!

I know I posted an Authors Note about a sequel over a month ago, but school really hit me hard (College...what can you do?) and I didn't even have time to PM all of you. So, here's the deal. I have my last final on December 18 and I will post the first chapter of the sequel in the days after that. If you have any ideas or anything you'd like to see in a sequel let me know and I'll see how it fits in!

Thanks for your support and sorry about the delay! You guys are great!


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